75 years ago, Gen. Smedley Butler exposed an attempted fascist takeover of the U.S.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Run time: 09:58 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXGUgFXoRu4   Posted on YouTube: December 21, 2008 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 29, 2009 By DU Member: Adenoid_Hynkel Views on DU: 1858

 
Our media found time to mark the anniversary of everything from the Manson murders to the Barbie doll this year, but sadly, Gen. Butler's heroism in the fall of 1934 remains forgotten.

" In 1934, the Business Plot was publicly revealed by retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler testifying to the McCormack-Dickstein Congressional Committee. In his testimony, Butler claimed that a group of men had approached him as part of a plot to overthrow Roosevelt in a military coup."

[Goldstein1984]

1. Some scary parallels with current events

The Republicans and their Ton Ton Macoutes (teabaggers) definitely fit the bill of those who see their country changing in a way that they don't like.

But I think that a military coup backed by business interests would be a mere formality today. We'd hardly notice the transition.

[AzDar]

2. K & R

[Dennis Donovan]

3. The Business Plot ultimately worked because the plotters were never prosecuted...

...and allowed to strengthen thru WW2 into the Military Industrial/Financial Complex which then simply bought the government they wanted.

[Bitwit1234]

4. You know why the MSM doesn't talk about it

George Bush's grandfather Prescott Bush was in it up to his neck. They never talk about Prescott raising funds and and all the stuff he did for Hitler. He was so brazen about it that the government seized his bank. Then he ran for congress and was elected. Just goes to show republicans don't give a damn about their country. All they care about is getting a republican in office so they can steal and obstruct.

[niyad]

5. k and r

[timtom]

6. K&R!

America snoozes on...

Let us spend a moment in silence and thanking whatever powers that be for the Internet, whereby so much information has become available.

[pnorman]

7. Here's the History Channel version:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=628728631767818729#

[Cronus Protagonist]

8. Yay! They stole one of my pictures!

I love it when people do that (not for profit).... the burnt Statue of Liberty with the flames and the flag is my own work. hehe...

[Overseas]

9. K&R. Thank you.

Lots of people don't know this history yet.

[ellenfl]

10. smedley-gate! i read about this some years ago.

i was shocked. perhaps obama is taking fdr's lead regarding prosecutions. too bad, if so.

ellen fl

[KansDem]

11. When Wayne Rogers left "M*A*S*H," he starred in a series called "CIty of Angels" (1976)

Based on the movie "Chinatown," Rogers played "Jake Axminster," a 1930s Los Angeles P.I.

City of Angels (IMDB)

The first 3 episodes, titled "The November Plan," were about this attempted takeover of the US government by fascists.

City of Angels episode guide (IMDB)

Lloyd Nolan played Gen. Butler.

The series only ran for one season. I wonder if the fascists made certain it wouldn't return...

[Rhiannon12866]

14. I remember that series. I liked it a lot...

However, I was not at all political back then, mainly watched it to see the old classic cars. :D
Wish that they'd run it again... :-)

[KansDem]

15. I with you...

I liked it a lot as well and was dismayed when it was canceled after only one season.

I thought Rogers did an excellent job with his interpretation of a 1930s L.A. P.I.

Not quite as hard-boiled as the role Jack Nicholson portrayed in "Chinatown," but nonetheless Rogers brought a kind of cynical, yet inquisitive "not to take anything at face value"-type of detective to the small screen (just my opinion).

Maybe devoting the first 3 episodes to the attempted fascist-takeover of the US government might have irritated and few "well-connected" folks who were already planning for Reagan's ascent to the White House to usher in the dismantling of FDR's "New Deal" and LBJ's "Great Society?" (again, just my opinion).

I wish they'd done a few more seasons, though...

[Rhiannon12866]

16. I was disappointed, too, thought it was very well done.

I loved the period details and Rogers was actually a likable character, unlike Jack Nicholson. :-)

As I said, the political overtones completely escaped me back then, so I'd love to have the chance to see it again now. And, since it's a period piece, it's not apt to have aged... :-)

BTW, my previous job was writing about network television, so you'd think I could pick 'em, LOL. But the spate of reality shows leave me cold, and I really loved WIOU (about a TV newsroom) back in the '90s, for example, promoted it for the few weeks it was on... :shrug: :D

[DutchLiberal]

12. They got their facist takeover anyhow, but they had to wait until 1980...

And this time, they did it through the ballot box.

[Mithreal]

13. Patience pays