Every month I’m doing a video about a historic figure that we can all learn from. These videos are just to teach us the basic history of these people so that we can all go out and learn more from them. Not just learn to imitate what they did right, but also learn the lessons of what they did wrong. This month I’m discussing US Marine Major General Smedley Butler.
Smedley Butler was an ordinary man that achieved a lot through hard work and dedication. He had many acts of heroism that can inspire all of us. But early on in his career as a Marine alcoholism caused him some issues. He saw how other Marines had problems with alcohol as well. He decided that he was not going to drink anymore and that others should not drink as well. His decision not to drink was a great decision for himself. His desire for others not to be allowed to drink caused a lot of problems and suffering for other people once he learned to play politics and was a police officer in charge of other police later in life.
He also noticed throughout his career as a Marine that most of the wars the United States was involved in made U.S. businessmen very rich. He spent much of his later life speaking out against this. He hated how young men who joined the military to protect their country, friends and family ended up being used and died in order to make certain people even more rich. And as far as I know he never used the word but he spent a lot of time speaking out against the fascism in the U.S. government. And that is why very few people know of him, even though other people of his time that had the same accolades he did are better known. When World War II started he was the highest decorated U.S. Marine and not a single military base or ship was named after him because he spoke out against war and unnecessary death so that a select few could game wealth or power.
I hope you take the time to learn more about Smedley Butler so you can live a better life through emulating his successes and avoiding his mistakes.