1 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:19,920 Speaker 1: Originals. This is an I heeart original. When you watch 2 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: a movie or a show on TV, whether you realize 3 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 1: it or not, one of the first things you do 4 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,840 Speaker 1: is try to sort out who's the good guy and 5 00:00:30,040 --> 00:00:34,640 Speaker 1: who's the villain. Hollywood frequently makes this pretty easy. Think 6 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:38,120 Speaker 1: about it. In Western's bad guys always wear black hats. 7 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,920 Speaker 1: In spy movies they wear Nehru jackets and I don't know, 8 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: monocles or you know, Nazi uniforms papers. Wow line, we 9 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,200 Speaker 1: like our good and are bad predetermined pre cooks like 10 00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: a microwave dinner. Tell me who to root for, tell 11 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: me who to hate, and do it quickly, we say, 12 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,480 Speaker 1: because I'm in a hardy Yeah. But that same simplicity, 13 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,720 Speaker 1: comforting as it might be, prevents us from truly understanding 14 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:08,600 Speaker 1: reality and real world events, just like real world people 15 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: are much more complicated than what we see on the 16 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 1: big screen, or, for that matter, what we hear on 17 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: a podcast. You know, Alex, I'm drawn to stories where 18 00:01:18,960 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: the lines separating good and evil just aren't so clear, 19 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,400 Speaker 1: where there are no absolute good guys. Yeah yeah, I 20 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: mean kids these days are calling it moral ambiguity. Then 21 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,320 Speaker 1: there it is our protagonist Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler. 22 00:01:32,600 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: He's like that. He's got a lot of these blurred lines. 23 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:38,480 Speaker 1: We met him in the last episode giving a speech 24 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:42,760 Speaker 1: to homeless vets in a muddy Hooverville. Now he's at home, miserable, 25 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,680 Speaker 1: bitter and over the hill. Guta, suck you one for that, 26 00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: But look at me, you're not wrong. So that's Smedley Hi, 27 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: And this show is about how he ended up being 28 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:58,720 Speaker 1: one of the most important and most forgotten whistleblowers in 29 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: the history of this country. He exposed a plot by 30 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 1: the nation's wealthiest men to overthrow the president of the 31 00:02:05,520 --> 00:02:10,080 Speaker 1: United States. But Smedley has a torrid backstory too. It's 32 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 1: one that reminds us that there are no true good guys, 33 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 1: at least not like in the movies. Wait, what do 34 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:19,240 Speaker 1: you mean, I'm not a good guy. I'm one of 35 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 1: the great gravelly voiced American heroes. Damn It Defender and 36 00:02:22,640 --> 00:02:27,880 Speaker 1: disseminator of democracy. From Cedar Sucking, Mother Face, Rabble Rousing, 37 00:02:28,040 --> 00:02:33,120 Speaker 1: Shining Sea from iHeart Originals and School of Humans. This 38 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 1: is let's start a coup. I'm Ben Bullet, I'm Alex French. 39 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 1: To bring you the story We've done all the research, 40 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:45,360 Speaker 1: read the books, interviewed historians, but still there are some 41 00:02:45,440 --> 00:02:48,040 Speaker 1: big gaps in the historical record, and we'll never know 42 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: exactly what happened. So in those gaps we've had some fun. 43 00:02:52,160 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: If it's so fun, how come I'm not letting this 44 00:02:56,640 --> 00:03:05,560 Speaker 1: is episode two A man must misshat. So during the 45 00:03:05,600 --> 00:03:09,120 Speaker 1: prime years of Smedley's military career, right around the turn 46 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: of the twentieth century, the United States engaged in a 47 00:03:13,200 --> 00:03:17,120 Speaker 1: unique brand of foreign policy. I guarantee you snooze through 48 00:03:17,280 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: this part of high school history if your teacher mentioned 49 00:03:20,400 --> 00:03:23,760 Speaker 1: it at all. Yeah. It's referred to as dollar diplomacy. 50 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,920 Speaker 1: In short, instead of expanding the empire by invading with 51 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,480 Speaker 1: military might, the US used money as its primary weapon, 52 00:03:30,880 --> 00:03:33,400 Speaker 1: taking control of the country's finances and forcing them to 53 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:36,200 Speaker 1: do what benefit of America. It was supposed to be bloodless, 54 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:40,280 Speaker 1: but people always died. We have a friend named Jonathan Katz. 55 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: Not too long ago, he wrote a fascinating book about 56 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:45,360 Speaker 1: Smelley Butler in the making of the American Empire called 57 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,960 Speaker 1: Gangsters of Capitalism. You still need some bullets in order 58 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,440 Speaker 1: for this to work, because if you just try to 59 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,880 Speaker 1: do things with informatble control, like, there will be people 60 00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:58,680 Speaker 1: who can use their connections within the country to establish 61 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: more direct control of their own economy and government. So 62 00:04:02,640 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: you need the threat of violence, and often you need 63 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:07,720 Speaker 1: actual violence in order to see this through. And Butler 64 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,360 Speaker 1: did that. Hey, listen, violence is just part of the gig. 65 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,720 Speaker 1: That's what it takes to be the second most decorated 66 00:04:13,760 --> 00:04:15,920 Speaker 1: marine in the history of the Core. I got more 67 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:20,040 Speaker 1: medals than the Federal Reserve, almost died from malaria, nearly 68 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 1: drowned in Subic Bay, got shot in the face. You 69 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 1: did it? Yeah, well not in the face, but a 70 00:04:25,080 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: thigh wound. Ain't nothing to sneeze that. I couldn't can 71 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: can for a week. Yeah, that sounds tough. Yeah, but 72 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:33,680 Speaker 1: it was all for Uncle Sam. You see, when you 73 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,720 Speaker 1: sign up to serve America, you serve America by adhering 74 00:04:36,800 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: to the chain of command. Well, we're gonna find out 75 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:42,280 Speaker 1: soon enough what comes from that kind of logic. Smedley. 76 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,600 Speaker 1: All right, I can take it. Make with the flashback. 77 00:04:47,960 --> 00:04:51,160 Speaker 1: Smedley's journey to gangsterism started in Philadelphia, but not just 78 00:04:51,240 --> 00:04:55,280 Speaker 1: in any neighborhood. He's from Westchester. The ritziest, waspiest part 79 00:04:55,280 --> 00:04:59,040 Speaker 1: of Philly. A child of extreme privilege. Smedley put down 80 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:03,280 Speaker 1: thine lollipop, Mamma, you'll get this lolly from my cold 81 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:08,040 Speaker 1: dead hand. His mom was from a wealth family. His dad, 82 00:05:08,160 --> 00:05:10,920 Speaker 1: an attorney by trade, serves like fifteen terms in Congress. 83 00:05:11,520 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: Smedley went to a very exclusive private school called Haverford. 84 00:05:14,880 --> 00:05:16,920 Speaker 1: He grew up a devout Quaker and you know they're 85 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,280 Speaker 1: supposed to be pacifists, right, But when he's sixteen, the 86 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:26,400 Speaker 1: Spanish American War captivates him. He's too young to enlist, 87 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:30,000 Speaker 1: so Smedley lies about his age and joins the Marine Corps. 88 00:05:30,040 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: But like you said, Alex, Smedley is rich and connected, 89 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: so being underage and inexperienced doesn't really matter. Yeah. He 90 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:41,200 Speaker 1: goes into the Corps as a second lieutenant, an officer, 91 00:05:41,360 --> 00:05:44,200 Speaker 1: youngest officer at the time, and according to my own 92 00:05:44,360 --> 00:05:50,480 Speaker 1: internal polling, the third most adorabel. So Smedley comes of 93 00:05:50,520 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: age just as America began building its overseas empires. Any 94 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 1: skyrockets through the ranks of the Marines. With the Marines, 95 00:05:57,920 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: Smedley spilled blood in China, Nicaragua, Panama, Haiti, Mexico, the Philippines, Honduras, 96 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:07,640 Speaker 1: often so American steel or oil or fruit companies could 97 00:06:07,640 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 1: do business save from those pesky indigenous people. You know, 98 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 1: he's sounding less and less adorable. Alex sure Is. Smedley 99 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: set up Client Malicious to suppress opponents of American foreign policy. 100 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: He was the blunt instrument of American imperialism. His work 101 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 1: was animated by a jaw dropping racism and white supremacy. 102 00:06:29,120 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: We'll get into all of that, but saying that he 103 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:33,920 Speaker 1: was a product of the age doesn't exactly explain away 104 00:06:33,960 --> 00:06:37,560 Speaker 1: his views. Hey, I just served my country. It's not 105 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,560 Speaker 1: like the country. It can be racist, yes it can't. 106 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:47,400 Speaker 1: Oh really, huh oh. What Smedley did in Haiti was horrific. 107 00:06:48,080 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 1: Jonathan Katz worked in Haiti as a correspondent for the 108 00:06:51,000 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 1: Associated Press. That's how he found out about this story. 109 00:06:54,440 --> 00:06:57,720 Speaker 1: He first came across Smedley's name while digging into the 110 00:06:57,720 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: American occupation of Haiti, which stretched from nineteen fifteen all 111 00:07:01,880 --> 00:07:05,640 Speaker 1: the way to nineteen thirty four. Haiti is an independent country. 112 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,160 Speaker 1: It had been independent since eighteen o four, the only 113 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:13,840 Speaker 1: country in the modern world to be founded by a 114 00:07:13,960 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: revolt by enslaved people. It's one of the most remarkable 115 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:19,560 Speaker 1: stories and one of the most remarkable countries in the 116 00:07:19,560 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: world just in terms of that history. In nineteen ten, 117 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:27,360 Speaker 1: dollar diplomacy forced Haiti to start accepting US financial control. 118 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:32,000 Speaker 1: The key American player here is a guy named Roger Farnum, 119 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:36,280 Speaker 1: one of history's great villains. He simultaneously served as VP 120 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:39,080 Speaker 1: of National City Bank of New York in the National 121 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,600 Speaker 1: Bank of Haiti, and the president of Haiti's National Railway. 122 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 1: Oh and he was President Woodrow Wilson's principal advisor on Haiti. 123 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,480 Speaker 1: He leveraged those positions to create the conditions for an 124 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:55,360 Speaker 1: American invasion. This guy has Haiti's fate in his hands. 125 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,240 Speaker 1: If you're looking for the true definition of gangsterism, look 126 00:07:59,400 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: no further. Uncle Sam wants control of Haiti because it 127 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,960 Speaker 1: sits on the path of every cargo ship heading from 128 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: the East coast of the United States to the Panama Canal. 129 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: It's a crucially strategic port. So Roger Farnham creates a 130 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 1: pretext to invade, or, if you prefer, he stages a heist. 131 00:08:17,040 --> 00:08:20,040 Speaker 1: Here's how he does it, right, Had's in debt to 132 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: the US. Farnham uses this to try and take over 133 00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:26,200 Speaker 1: the country. He comes up with a plan called, in 134 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,440 Speaker 1: a burst of humility, the Farnham Plan. The United States 135 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:34,040 Speaker 1: takes over Hadi Sports and claims all of the import 136 00:08:34,160 --> 00:08:38,800 Speaker 1: export money. With no income, Haiti needs funds to pay debt, 137 00:08:39,120 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 1: but Farnham freezes ten million francs sitting in reserve in 138 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: the Haitian National Bank, and then Farnum tells Uncle Sam 139 00:08:47,880 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: something has to be done to get this cash, the 140 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:55,040 Speaker 1: same cash, by the way, that Farnham himself is purposely withholding. 141 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:01,720 Speaker 1: So guess what happens next. The Marines invade, including Smappy Butler. 142 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 1: They waltz into the Haitian National Bank and steal half 143 00:09:06,440 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: of the gold reserves and whisked them away to Wall Street. 144 00:09:10,640 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: This sends politics in Haiti into a tail spin. The 145 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:19,520 Speaker 1: Haitian president is assassinated by his own people, and that 146 00:09:19,600 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: revolt gave the Americans what they really wanted, a pretext 147 00:09:24,400 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 1: for an occupation. By nineteen fifteen, the US installed a 148 00:09:31,360 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: puppet president. The US government called it the US Occupation 149 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: of Haiti with a capital O, and they're using it 150 00:09:38,280 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: ephemistically because they're trying to differentiate themselves from a European power. 151 00:09:43,840 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: They're like this isn't the US colonization of Haiti. We're 152 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:48,960 Speaker 1: not taking it, We're just gonna occupy it for a 153 00:09:48,960 --> 00:09:52,240 Speaker 1: little while. So Uncle Sam has control of Haiti, sports 154 00:09:52,480 --> 00:09:55,400 Speaker 1: a puppet president and old Smedley on the ground making 155 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 1: sure everything is going to plan, squashing insurgencies, killing what 156 00:09:59,960 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 1: they call rebels who stand in opposition to the American occupation. 157 00:10:03,960 --> 00:10:07,520 Speaker 1: And one of the goals of the US occupation is 158 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:13,800 Speaker 1: to allow American business to flourish there, right, and what 159 00:10:14,800 --> 00:10:18,480 Speaker 1: is blocking them from doing this is the Haitian constitution. 160 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,560 Speaker 1: They say in their constitution that no foreigner can own 161 00:10:22,680 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: land in Haiti, which is extremely inconvenient if you are 162 00:10:27,880 --> 00:10:31,960 Speaker 1: a city bank. It's also a problem for any American 163 00:10:32,000 --> 00:10:35,120 Speaker 1: corporation that wants to set up any kind of business there, 164 00:10:35,480 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 1: and that is in turn a problem for US foreign policy, 165 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:43,720 Speaker 1: because remember, the goal is to make the world safe 166 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: for American business. And so the Americans say, we are 167 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: going to rewrite the constitution of Haiti and put in 168 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 1: a line that says anyone can own land, regardless of 169 00:10:57,680 --> 00:11:00,440 Speaker 1: whether their Haitian or not. And of course Haitians don't 170 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,680 Speaker 1: like this, but there's seemingly one last line of defense 171 00:11:04,720 --> 00:11:10,040 Speaker 1: the Haitian Parliament, and the Haitian Parliament is also the 172 00:11:10,120 --> 00:11:15,000 Speaker 1: body that would have to ratify this new constitution, and 173 00:11:15,680 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 1: they are not going to ratify this constitution because this 174 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:23,280 Speaker 1: constitution is they big fuck you to all of Haitian 175 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:27,640 Speaker 1: history and Haitian self identity. This is unacceptable to the 176 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,280 Speaker 1: Americans because doing things that are good for American business, 177 00:11:31,920 --> 00:11:37,240 Speaker 1: it's just core of this mission. And so the American 178 00:11:37,280 --> 00:11:43,400 Speaker 1: occupation decides to overthrow the Haitian National Assembly to destroy 179 00:11:43,560 --> 00:11:45,920 Speaker 1: the Haitian Parliament. And who do they send to do 180 00:11:46,000 --> 00:11:50,600 Speaker 1: this but Smedley Butler. As you may remember, Smedley's nickname 181 00:11:50,600 --> 00:11:54,360 Speaker 1: was gimblet Ee, not in reference to the cocktail, of course, 182 00:11:54,560 --> 00:11:57,520 Speaker 1: but because of his piercing gaze. Although I also like 183 00:11:57,720 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 1: the cocktail, and Smedley wrote all about this in his 184 00:12:01,560 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: book Old ghimblet I Yes, in my book, I recounted 185 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 1: how the Haitians did everything they could think of to 186 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 1: block the new American version of their constitution. So we 187 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 1: needed the Haitian president to help us get rid of 188 00:12:13,040 --> 00:12:15,400 Speaker 1: the pesky parliament. And we thought that would be easy 189 00:12:15,480 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: since the Americans installed him in power in the first place. Well, 190 00:12:18,960 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 1: the coward got cold feet and hid in his office 191 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:25,960 Speaker 1: when Smelby found him. The President said he'd only dissolve 192 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:30,040 Speaker 1: the Assembly if his five other cabinet members signed the order. 193 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: But the cabinet members were hiding. Two. My driver brought 194 00:12:33,840 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: two of them back by the neck. That gave us 195 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: three cabinet members. We told the president that three is enough. Wait. Wait, 196 00:12:40,160 --> 00:12:44,200 Speaker 1: you kidnapped cabinet members. No. I sent a few of 197 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 1: my men to find the cabinet members and ominously said 198 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:50,800 Speaker 1: retrieve them, and then they did so. The word kidnapped 199 00:12:50,920 --> 00:12:54,160 Speaker 1: is a little active stealing, abducting, or carrying off a 200 00:12:54,240 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 1: human being forcibly. Oh, get a load of the smart guy. 201 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 1: You may have a dictionary, smart guy, but I've got 202 00:13:00,560 --> 00:13:05,200 Speaker 1: a rolled up dictionary. Jesus christad Allonia. You're not making 203 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: a great case for your matic skills. Man. I did 204 00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 1: what needed to be done for the country. Watch everybody's problem. 205 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:16,280 Speaker 1: After getting the president in his cabinet to sign the 206 00:13:16,400 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 1: order to dissolve the National Assembly, Smiley goes to the 207 00:13:19,480 --> 00:13:23,560 Speaker 1: Assembly with fifty armed soldiers. They are armed, They load 208 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,840 Speaker 1: their rifles and he says, I have an order from 209 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: the President which we wrote, disband this assembly. And the 210 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 1: head of the Assembly, the guy named Steny of his son, 211 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:39,200 Speaker 1: says no, and then Butler says please. Yeah, I was 212 00:13:39,240 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 1: real polite with it, just like that, I said please. 213 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: And then the gendarmes cocked their rifles and Vincent realizes 214 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:49,240 Speaker 1: that like he and the other members of the parliament 215 00:13:49,240 --> 00:13:52,520 Speaker 1: could very well end up dying at their desks, and 216 00:13:52,680 --> 00:13:55,640 Speaker 1: so they agreed to disband it, and the Haitian Parliament 217 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:01,520 Speaker 1: stays disbanded for twelve years. Butler orders all records of 218 00:14:01,520 --> 00:14:05,880 Speaker 1: this destroyed. He gathers newspaper editors and importer prince and 219 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:08,480 Speaker 1: tells them not to print any details of this happening. 220 00:14:08,680 --> 00:14:12,400 Speaker 1: So maybe this little incident brought me some unwanted attention 221 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,320 Speaker 1: and criticism. Sure, I wound up answering questions before a 222 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:20,960 Speaker 1: congressional committee. They hammered me with under whose authority to order? 223 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: The President of hadatads all of the National Assembly, And 224 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,760 Speaker 1: I said, I can't remember everything that happens to me 225 00:14:26,840 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: all day. I drink a lot of gimlets. After the 226 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:33,640 Speaker 1: Americans takeover, our Boye s Medals doesn't exactly cover himself 227 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: in glory. He was in charge of constructing a national 228 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,640 Speaker 1: road system in Haiti, except Haiti couldn't pay for the 229 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:44,720 Speaker 1: road building project because the US had taken all their money. 230 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: So Smedley revived an old French imperial law permitting the 231 00:14:49,600 --> 00:14:54,440 Speaker 1: interment of citizens to perform forced labor. This came hardly 232 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:58,560 Speaker 1: one hundred years after Haitian slaves revolted and won their 233 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 1: freedom from their French colonial masters. Talk about a special 234 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:07,720 Speaker 1: brand of cruelty. Some nine thousand poor Haitian were forced 235 00:15:07,760 --> 00:15:11,320 Speaker 1: to build those roads. It was later revealed that Smedley 236 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 1: personally approved the use of chains and ropes to keep 237 00:15:14,360 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: those laborers from escaping. That's right, he enslaved Haitians in 238 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: their own country. When the project was complete, FDR wrote 239 00:15:23,280 --> 00:15:28,000 Speaker 1: to Smedley, congratulating him. Smedley's response, and we're quoting here 240 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: it would not do to ask too many questions as 241 00:15:31,400 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: to how he accomplished this work. To this day, in Haiti, 242 00:15:36,600 --> 00:15:39,880 Speaker 1: Jonathan Katz tells US Smedley is remembered as among the 243 00:15:39,960 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 1: most Misshaon, the most evil, the most corrupt of all 244 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:48,480 Speaker 1: the Americans, which they clearly have a point. Smedley Butler 245 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:53,720 Speaker 1: led a violent takeover of another country, not once, not twice. 246 00:15:53,960 --> 00:15:58,400 Speaker 1: He did it over and over again, using military might 247 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: to pave the way for American business across the planet, 248 00:16:02,680 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: and he was celebrated for this back home, sort of 249 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:11,920 Speaker 1: like an twentieth century captain America experienced cool leader could 250 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:14,760 Speaker 1: have been at the top of his resume after the 251 00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:19,960 Speaker 1: break is cool leadership a perishable skill, and some really 252 00:16:20,080 --> 00:16:22,760 Speaker 1: really rich guys go shopping for the right man to 253 00:16:22,960 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: lead their insurrection. I want you to close your eyes. 254 00:16:36,360 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 1: Imagine we're back in the dark smoky room. You mean 255 00:16:42,160 --> 00:16:45,320 Speaker 1: that impossible to get into club where the world Orditors 256 00:16:45,360 --> 00:16:47,880 Speaker 1: charted the one from episode one? Yeah, yeah, nailed it. 257 00:16:47,960 --> 00:16:51,800 Speaker 1: Indeed that exact dark smoky room. We're back in the 258 00:16:51,840 --> 00:16:55,520 Speaker 1: summer of nineteen thirty three. The Great Depression lingers on, 259 00:16:56,200 --> 00:16:59,960 Speaker 1: but the New Deal is quickly reshaping America, offering almost 260 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 1: instantaneous relief to throngs of unemployed workers. Relief. What is 261 00:17:05,520 --> 00:17:08,840 Speaker 1: this bullshit? I'm paying six three percent income tax. Oh 262 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:10,600 Speaker 1: you know I could be if I didn't send all 263 00:17:10,640 --> 00:17:14,680 Speaker 1: my loot to Switzerland. Oh look, our anonymous evil plutocrats 264 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:18,960 Speaker 1: have returned. All these industrial regulations he wants to enforce. 265 00:17:19,240 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: He wants to regulate child labor and wages. How dare 266 00:17:23,040 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 1: he I sail? Let the children run free and our 267 00:17:26,360 --> 00:17:30,480 Speaker 1: spot shops. The New Deal is a massive redistribution of 268 00:17:30,520 --> 00:17:33,680 Speaker 1: wealth from the rich, who were taxed heavily, to the 269 00:17:33,760 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 1: poor and unemployed. Of course, there are cries that Roosevelt 270 00:17:37,720 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 1: is a socialist, worse, a traitor to his class. Anyone 271 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,240 Speaker 1: who's vuying for a thirty hour work, which simply must 272 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:48,400 Speaker 1: be a communist. The New Deal meant that the old 273 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: less a fairways of not regulating business were over before. 274 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,400 Speaker 1: During the darkest days of the depression, FDR's predecessor, Herbert 275 00:17:56,440 --> 00:18:01,400 Speaker 1: Hoover wouldn't even intervene to halt foreclosures. Yeah, like why 276 00:18:01,440 --> 00:18:05,320 Speaker 1: would I? But allowing the free market to rage uncontrolled, 277 00:18:05,760 --> 00:18:09,600 Speaker 1: nothing productive. The New Deal broke with that tradition, so 278 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 1: some very powerful people start to line up against the president, 279 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:17,120 Speaker 1: like Williamandolf first medimogul in the Smoky Room, we know 280 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:20,520 Speaker 1: him as Uncle Randy. Yes, yes, I hear Uncle Randy 281 00:18:20,600 --> 00:18:23,160 Speaker 1: as an exact replica of the Smoky Room built into 282 00:18:23,200 --> 00:18:25,880 Speaker 1: his Park Avenue place so he can machinate in the 283 00:18:25,960 --> 00:18:31,320 Speaker 1: comfort of his own home. Our legal department requires me 284 00:18:31,440 --> 00:18:37,040 Speaker 1: to say that's probably almost definitely not true. Hurst actually 285 00:18:37,120 --> 00:18:40,480 Speaker 1: did back Roosevelt in the beginning, but when he turned 286 00:18:40,480 --> 00:18:45,520 Speaker 1: against the President, he went all out. Here's Hurst railing 287 00:18:45,640 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: against the new deal. The sowner. This impudent, intrusive, despotic, discriminatory, 288 00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:02,240 Speaker 1: and perhaps revolutionary system of taxation is a repeal, and 289 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:06,040 Speaker 1: it's important to the Hurst doesn't mean revolutionary as a 290 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:10,400 Speaker 1: good thing. It's around this time, almost twenty years after 291 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:15,440 Speaker 1: hijacking hades national sovereignty. A retired Smedley butler gets a 292 00:19:15,480 --> 00:19:18,920 Speaker 1: phone call. It's a hot afternoon in July of nineteen 293 00:19:19,040 --> 00:19:23,440 Speaker 1: thirty three. Pass me a gimblet ethel. I'm shitzing. What 294 00:19:23,600 --> 00:19:28,520 Speaker 1: a great wife? Never says a word. A man from 295 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,200 Speaker 1: the American Legion called the head to say someone was 296 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: on their way to see him. Nothing ominous about that. 297 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:39,280 Speaker 1: A chauffeurd Packard convertible pulls into Smedley's driveway. What have 298 00:19:39,360 --> 00:19:44,280 Speaker 1: we here? This man is a wounded vet. He's short, jowledy, 299 00:19:44,680 --> 00:19:47,960 Speaker 1: he's in his thirties but looks decades older, and he 300 00:19:48,240 --> 00:19:53,400 Speaker 1: is dressed to the nines. Hello Smedley. Derry maguire no 301 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,080 Speaker 1: relation to the movie coming out in sixty three years 302 00:19:56,360 --> 00:19:58,680 Speaker 1: Marine Corps Connecticut, a thought in the Great War, and 303 00:19:58,800 --> 00:20:01,720 Speaker 1: left with a silver plate in my cranium. My wife said, 304 00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:06,160 Speaker 1: you've always been hot headed, but this is ridiculous. That's 305 00:20:06,160 --> 00:20:10,920 Speaker 1: a crappy joke. But come on in marine. The head 306 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: backed to Smedley's office. McGuire does the talking. Here's the deal, Smedley, 307 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: Me and a couple of piles need your leadership, your 308 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:23,680 Speaker 1: what's the word gravity task. We want to send you 309 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:27,640 Speaker 1: to the American Legion convention in Chicago this September. Remember, 310 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,160 Speaker 1: like you said earlier, Alex, the American Legion is a 311 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 1: massive veterans organization. But not just the sort of organization 312 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:39,520 Speaker 1: that you know sits around in clubhouses or sponsors Little 313 00:20:39,600 --> 00:20:43,160 Speaker 1: League teams. No. No, these were the guys who tried 314 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,960 Speaker 1: to get Benito Mussolini to come speak at their conferences. 315 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 1: The Legion is frequently used by big business to violently 316 00:20:51,400 --> 00:20:55,240 Speaker 1: bust up labor union demonstrations. What was that? What do 317 00:20:55,280 --> 00:20:58,640 Speaker 1: you say? Nothing? Nothing at all. So here's the proposal, 318 00:20:58,720 --> 00:21:02,120 Speaker 1: Major General. You'll watch at the head of a delegation. 319 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:04,840 Speaker 1: Once you get on the convention floor, the boys in 320 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:08,080 Speaker 1: your group will stage up protests demanding that the current 321 00:21:08,160 --> 00:21:11,720 Speaker 1: leadership at the Legion step aside. In other words, a 322 00:21:11,840 --> 00:21:14,880 Speaker 1: mini coup, But it feels like a soft ask, and 323 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 1: it also warrants mentioning that the President of the United 324 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,280 Speaker 1: States planned on attending and speaking of that Leagion convention. 325 00:21:21,240 --> 00:21:24,040 Speaker 1: Smedley thought, this is all an oddball request. You'd care 326 00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 1: one bit for the way big business put veterans out 327 00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:30,120 Speaker 1: on the street as union busters. So he shuts McGuire down. No, 328 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:32,760 Speaker 1: I don't want to be involved. No, I have no 329 00:21:32,840 --> 00:21:35,520 Speaker 1: plans to go to the convention. And no I wasn't 330 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: even invited, which is fine because I didn't want to 331 00:21:38,520 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 1: go Anywhere's that ship had rose about? What did that 332 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,960 Speaker 1: to you? The noise he has keeping you off the list? 333 00:21:44,120 --> 00:21:48,560 Speaker 1: You helped him get elected. But it's okay, there's a workaround. 334 00:21:49,160 --> 00:21:53,880 Speaker 1: You'll much in with the Hawaii delegation. Come on, everybody 335 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 1: likes Hawaii. So all of this seemed very strange to Smedley. 336 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:01,960 Speaker 1: He couldn't, for the life of him figure out what 337 00:22:02,120 --> 00:22:06,800 Speaker 1: this guy truly wanted. Smedley said, no, don't speak from 338 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,840 Speaker 1: I'll say no in my own fashion. No, thank you. 339 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,200 Speaker 1: McGuire finds his way to the exit. Come bye, But 340 00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:18,680 Speaker 1: it's a few days later McGuire's back. Hello, I said, no, 341 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:23,800 Speaker 1: thank you. Okay, forget the whole idea. Here's a better plan. 342 00:22:24,480 --> 00:22:27,320 Speaker 1: You'll take a special train to Chicago with a couple 343 00:22:27,440 --> 00:22:31,040 Speaker 1: hundred vets. During the convention, the boys will cause our racus. 344 00:22:31,360 --> 00:22:34,320 Speaker 1: You'll be called to the stage and delivered this speech 345 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:38,360 Speaker 1: to save the day. That's on more fun. As he's 346 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 1: saying this, McGuire pulls a couple typewritten pages out of 347 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:45,880 Speaker 1: his jacket. It's all about paying veterans their long desired 348 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:51,320 Speaker 1: two billion dollars bonus debt, and the speech specifically proposes 349 00:22:51,640 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 1: paying these veterans in gold. Two billion in gold solves 350 00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:57,880 Speaker 1: a lot of problems. Oh yeah, it's a heck of 351 00:22:57,880 --> 00:23:02,400 Speaker 1: a carrot, and something to remember because spoiler alert, folks, 352 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:06,920 Speaker 1: this becomes crucially important later that gold part in particular. 353 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:10,960 Speaker 1: But Smedley thinks this is all a little fishing. For example, 354 00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,840 Speaker 1: the whole problem with Jerry's idea of rolling in with 355 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:18,400 Speaker 1: a couple hundred veterans is there aren't many vets who 356 00:23:18,400 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: can afford a train ride, let alone five days in Chicago. 357 00:23:22,600 --> 00:23:25,040 Speaker 1: That may seem foreign to you, McGuire, What with your 358 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,720 Speaker 1: sharp clothes and chauffeured car. Or maybe it just didn't 359 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:29,600 Speaker 1: occur to you because of that plate in your head. 360 00:23:29,760 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: My wife said, you've always been hard. Who said that 361 00:23:31,840 --> 00:23:35,360 Speaker 1: one already? So again, Smedley said, no, did Jerry McGuire 362 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:38,440 Speaker 1: get lost? But McGuire can't seem to take no for 363 00:23:38,480 --> 00:23:42,320 Speaker 1: an answer. Hello. Throughout the summer and fall of nineteen 364 00:23:42,400 --> 00:23:46,040 Speaker 1: thirty three, McGuire keeps showing up. Yeah, and Smedley really 365 00:23:46,080 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: didn't know anything about this guy, didn't understand his true objectives. 366 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:55,360 Speaker 1: It seemed like maybe he was working for someone else, 367 00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: like there was someone behind the curtain pulling the strings. 368 00:24:00,200 --> 00:24:02,800 Speaker 1: So he starts asking some more questions, Who are you? 369 00:24:03,120 --> 00:24:05,440 Speaker 1: Who do you work for? Did you know May West 370 00:24:05,520 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: is forty? Doesn't she look great for forty? Answer the questions, 371 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:11,160 Speaker 1: he learns that McGuire is one hundred dollars a week 372 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:13,720 Speaker 1: bond salesman working for a guy named Grace and Murphy. 373 00:24:14,680 --> 00:24:16,480 Speaker 1: For now, all you really need to know is that 374 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:20,160 Speaker 1: Murphy is a spy turn investment banker, and he is 375 00:24:20,280 --> 00:24:23,840 Speaker 1: McGuire's boss. McGuire says Murphy wants to replace the group 376 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:26,840 Speaker 1: of financiers who run the American Legion with new leadership. 377 00:24:27,320 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: It Smedley is the guy to do the job. Grace 378 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:32,040 Speaker 1: and Murphy also wants to see the Vets get their 379 00:24:32,080 --> 00:24:34,520 Speaker 1: bonus so they can refill the Legion coffers and Murphy 380 00:24:34,560 --> 00:24:38,120 Speaker 1: can recover his loot. And if you haven't noticed, Alex, 381 00:24:38,480 --> 00:24:43,840 Speaker 1: that's like the third different, yet weirdly vague explanation McGuire 382 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:47,680 Speaker 1: is giving to Smedley. But there's a thread running through 383 00:24:47,720 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 1: all of these propositions, getting Smedley Butler motivated to lead, 384 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: and getting him in front of a convention hall packed 385 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:58,760 Speaker 1: with legionnaires. Fast forward a couple of months to September 386 00:24:58,760 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 1: of nineteen thirty three. Smedley is in Newark, New Jersey, 387 00:25:01,760 --> 00:25:04,760 Speaker 1: addressing a reunion of the National Guards twenty ninth Division. 388 00:25:05,240 --> 00:25:09,760 Speaker 1: McGuire shows up again at Smedley's hotel room stalk Curler, Yeah, 389 00:25:09,880 --> 00:25:12,600 Speaker 1: get out of here, creep. No, no, Smedley, not at all. 390 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:14,680 Speaker 1: Just want to know if you've made arrangements to be 391 00:25:14,720 --> 00:25:18,000 Speaker 1: at the Legion convention in Chicago. It Smedley gets all 392 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 1: pissed off because this again fuzz off once and for all. 393 00:25:22,240 --> 00:25:27,720 Speaker 1: I'm not going. This is where it gets weird. McGuire 394 00:25:27,920 --> 00:25:30,960 Speaker 1: pulls a wad of cash from his pocket and he 395 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:36,760 Speaker 1: starts tossing thousand dollars bills on the mattress, one after 396 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:41,560 Speaker 1: the next. I counted eighteen of those, McGuire, So that's 397 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,040 Speaker 1: somewhere on the order of lots of money. I don't 398 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:47,000 Speaker 1: know from math, but I know you're not the one 399 00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:50,560 Speaker 1: pull in the string. So make with the boss man. Finally, 400 00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:54,040 Speaker 1: Smedley gets what he wants, a meet with the people 401 00:25:54,080 --> 00:25:59,240 Speaker 1: in charge. About a week later, he goes to the 402 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,720 Speaker 1: train station by his house and picks up a New 403 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:07,680 Speaker 1: York City banker named Robert Sterling Clark Clark. Smed how 404 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,360 Speaker 1: nice to see you again. Turns out these two go 405 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 1: way back. More than thirty years ago. Smedley and Clark 406 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: served together in China during the Box Rebellion. Clark inherited 407 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:20,280 Speaker 1: a mess of cash like thirty million bucks from the 408 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:23,320 Speaker 1: Singer Sewing Machine company. As we say in our family, 409 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: put that in your sewing machine and stitch it. The 410 00:26:27,480 --> 00:26:32,640 Speaker 1: other Marines called Clark the millionaire Lieutenant, and Smedley never 411 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:36,200 Speaker 1: took them very seriously. But now did you read the 412 00:26:36,240 --> 00:26:40,000 Speaker 1: speech my handschman? I mean, good friend McGuire, left for you, 413 00:26:40,440 --> 00:26:43,000 Speaker 1: the one about paying the veterans their bonus and gold. 414 00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,880 Speaker 1: Sure I did. I'd give it two giblets and I'd 415 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 1: give it three bobbins. Shall we agree? It's a hell 416 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 1: of a good speech, but it'd better be and cost 417 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,120 Speaker 1: a lot of money. This speech, it seems, has been 418 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:59,800 Speaker 1: lost to history. No, there goes my money. All we 419 00:26:59,840 --> 00:27:05,000 Speaker 1: really know were three things. One, this speech was seemingly 420 00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,840 Speaker 1: written by a muckety mucket the biggest bank in America, 421 00:27:08,160 --> 00:27:11,520 Speaker 1: John W. Davis. He's kind of a big deal. Former 422 00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:15,720 Speaker 1: ambassador to England, Democratic nominee for president in nineteen twenty four. 423 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:18,880 Speaker 1: He tried around one hundred and forty cases before the 424 00:27:18,960 --> 00:27:23,400 Speaker 1: Supreme Court. That guy was legit. Two, these guys really 425 00:27:23,440 --> 00:27:26,080 Speaker 1: want Smedley to read the speech to a pact convention 426 00:27:26,120 --> 00:27:29,360 Speaker 1: hall of war veterans. Three, the essential thread of the 427 00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:32,760 Speaker 1: speech is that the United States should return to the 428 00:27:32,800 --> 00:27:36,640 Speaker 1: gold standard. Okay, remember how Alex and I said gold 429 00:27:36,840 --> 00:27:41,040 Speaker 1: was important. This is our moment. Pay attention, folks, because 430 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:46,200 Speaker 1: we've got some explaining to do. The gold standard was 431 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:48,680 Speaker 1: a little piece of monetary policy that is key to 432 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:51,560 Speaker 1: understanding why the wealthy villains in the smoke filled room 433 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:55,640 Speaker 1: hated FDR so so much. When FDR arrived in office 434 00:27:55,640 --> 00:27:57,800 Speaker 1: in March of nineteen thirty three, the country was in 435 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,880 Speaker 1: the midst of a banking crisis as banks all over 436 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:04,480 Speaker 1: the country failed. Panicked investors pulled their cash, exchanging dollars 437 00:28:04,520 --> 00:28:06,920 Speaker 1: for gold and locking it up in safe deposit box. 438 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,360 Speaker 1: But hoarding the gold meant that money wasn't flowing through 439 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 1: the economy. To avert further banking system catastrophe and get 440 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:18,080 Speaker 1: cash flowing, Roosevelt closed all of the banks. He quickly 441 00:28:18,120 --> 00:28:20,680 Speaker 1: signed an executive order for Americans to hand over their 442 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:22,720 Speaker 1: gold to the government at the going rate of twenty 443 00:28:22,760 --> 00:28:25,880 Speaker 1: dollars and sixty seven cents announce. Failing to do so 444 00:28:26,040 --> 00:28:29,920 Speaker 1: was punishable by fines and imprisonment, and that made a 445 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:34,320 Speaker 1: lot of people, especially rich people, very very angry. You 446 00:28:34,440 --> 00:28:36,960 Speaker 1: got that right. You'll get my gold the same way 447 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 1: you'll pry lose this cocktail from my cold drunk hound. 448 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,360 Speaker 1: Our favorite plutocrats are back, and boy, you guys sound pissed. 449 00:28:45,560 --> 00:28:48,840 Speaker 1: Pissed doesn't drunk or pissed asn't angry either way. The 450 00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,840 Speaker 1: answers yes, I bet, because right after that executive order 451 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,440 Speaker 1: Roosevelt announced he's effectively take in the United States off 452 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 1: the gold standard entirely. Well, what am I supposed to do? Now? 453 00:28:59,960 --> 00:29:03,240 Speaker 1: Count my silver coins? Yeah, silver's for poor people. I 454 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 1: hate this. Roosevelt's top economic advice or head a theory 455 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 1: that inflating the price of gold would increase the price 456 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:14,480 Speaker 1: of stuff like wheat, corn, and cotton. For Roosevelt, getting 457 00:29:14,520 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 1: those prices to rise would prop up farmers, and that, 458 00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:20,760 Speaker 1: to him was the key to ending the depression. Roosevelt 459 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:24,480 Speaker 1: started buying newly minted gold bullyon it, way above market prices, 460 00:29:24,680 --> 00:29:28,320 Speaker 1: and doing so simultaneously devalued the dollar and inflated the 461 00:29:28,320 --> 00:29:31,640 Speaker 1: price of gold. Ahem. The plan didn't work, smart man. 462 00:29:31,960 --> 00:29:34,720 Speaker 1: In fact, the price of corn dipped twenty eight percent, 463 00:29:35,000 --> 00:29:39,000 Speaker 1: cotton went down thirteen percent, wheat fell by twenty one percent. 464 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:41,240 Speaker 1: And I'm too proud of me looking all those numbers up. 465 00:29:41,280 --> 00:29:44,520 Speaker 1: The French, of all people, were horribly upset. Can I 466 00:29:44,560 --> 00:29:46,920 Speaker 1: be honest? The French really whig me out when they 467 00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,520 Speaker 1: get upset all of a sudden, They're like socker blue, 468 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,440 Speaker 1: and I'm like, calm down. All this angry gallic talk 469 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:57,200 Speaker 1: of currency wars. Anybody who is anybody hated the plan, 470 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:01,720 Speaker 1: and they lyne. Roosevelt's monetary policy was the biggest news 471 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,640 Speaker 1: story of nineteen thirty three. The New York Times offered 472 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:07,640 Speaker 1: daily coverage and opinion on the topic, opinion being that 473 00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:10,640 Speaker 1: the time has really hated Roosevelt's maneuvering nine point four 474 00:30:10,720 --> 00:30:13,480 Speaker 1: out of every ten economists hate this. I tell you 475 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 1: it is the Roosevelt is running this economy like a 476 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 1: drunken toddler. There's even a story out there that he 477 00:30:18,960 --> 00:30:21,680 Speaker 1: sets the price of gold every morning whilst he's still 478 00:30:21,760 --> 00:30:26,120 Speaker 1: wearing his pajamas. I mean, really, God blessed. It burns 479 00:30:26,120 --> 00:30:28,040 Speaker 1: me up. I want to call him a dirty world. 480 00:30:28,080 --> 00:30:30,640 Speaker 1: Don't do it. This is a family program. He's up. 481 00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 1: Please don't say it. I couldn't say manipulator. You can't 482 00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:39,840 Speaker 1: see me, listeners, but my mouth is positively a gape. 483 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:44,600 Speaker 1: Thanks for your two cents. Guess you're welcome. So back 484 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: to the speech Clark brought Smedley to read at the 485 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,480 Speaker 1: American Legion. It advocated for vets to be paid their 486 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:54,520 Speaker 1: bonuses in gold, rather than just coming out and railing 487 00:30:54,560 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 1: against Roosevelt's currency antics. The cabal had wrapped their true 488 00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,880 Speaker 1: agenda in the flag. If the veterans got gold, it 489 00:31:02,920 --> 00:31:06,920 Speaker 1: would be great pr but it would also more important 490 00:31:07,160 --> 00:31:11,200 Speaker 1: undercut Roosevelt's move away from the gold standard. Smedley saw 491 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:14,240 Speaker 1: right through this. He thought the speech had all the 492 00:31:14,280 --> 00:31:19,440 Speaker 1: earmarks of big business propaganda. This has all the earmarks. Yeah, 493 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:22,400 Speaker 1: what he said here, it isn't a Natchez smatters. I 494 00:31:22,480 --> 00:31:25,440 Speaker 1: have thirty million dollars. I don't want to lose it. 495 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:28,040 Speaker 1: I'm wanting to spend half of the thirty million to 496 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,160 Speaker 1: save the other half. That's awfully scheming, Bob. And here 497 00:31:31,160 --> 00:31:33,960 Speaker 1: I thought you were just some goofy sewing machine guy. 498 00:31:34,280 --> 00:31:39,560 Speaker 1: I contain multitudes, as does my bank account. Do you 499 00:31:39,640 --> 00:31:44,400 Speaker 1: get it? Yeah? So Clark says, the train will stop 500 00:31:44,440 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: by to pick up Smedley unrooted once in Chicago. A 501 00:31:48,440 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: suite of rooms has been arranged at the very fancy 502 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:56,960 Speaker 1: Palmer House hotel in Chicago. Clark urges Smedley curtain. Make 503 00:31:57,000 --> 00:32:00,400 Speaker 1: the speech smatters. It'll get us one step closer towards 504 00:32:00,400 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 1: the return to guild to have the soldiers stand up 505 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 1: for it. But Clark, what the hell does a soldier 506 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,720 Speaker 1: know about the gold standard. You're just using them like 507 00:32:08,760 --> 00:32:11,080 Speaker 1: they always get used. I'm going to see no one 508 00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 1: uses them except a guard democracy and maybe someday fill 509 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:17,480 Speaker 1: up the chorus of big band reviews with that up 510 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: and comer Bob Hope. I see big things for him. 511 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:22,280 Speaker 1: Why do you want to be so stubborn? Wouldn't you 512 00:32:22,320 --> 00:32:24,920 Speaker 1: just love to have someone else pay a mortgage? Keep 513 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:29,160 Speaker 1: your liquor chef stocked? Clark, yes, but the answers no. 514 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:34,080 Speaker 1: Since Smedley won't budge, the millionaire lieutenant cooks up a 515 00:32:34,120 --> 00:32:37,160 Speaker 1: new plan. May I see a phone? He asked to 516 00:32:37,240 --> 00:32:40,160 Speaker 1: use Smedley's phone? No, I asked to use his phone. 517 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:43,360 Speaker 1: Never mind, here you go, Thank you so much. Clark 518 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 1: calls McGuire hollow and informs him that Smedley will not 519 00:32:50,320 --> 00:32:54,040 Speaker 1: be attending the convention. He instructs McGuire to use the 520 00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:57,600 Speaker 1: expense money to flood the Chicago Opera House where the 521 00:32:57,680 --> 00:33:02,880 Speaker 1: Legion is holding festivities. What you mean, like actually flooded? Now, McGuire, 522 00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:06,120 Speaker 1: you dealt with your thumblike face. I want you to 523 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,200 Speaker 1: flood that up, a house with hundreds of telegrams calling 524 00:33:09,200 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: for a return to the gold standard. May it happen? 525 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:19,400 Speaker 1: Wound't you? Oh? Sure? Boss? Damn right, Thammy. A month later, 526 00:33:19,480 --> 00:33:23,320 Speaker 1: the American Legion holds its fifteenth annual convention in Chicago. 527 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,920 Speaker 1: According to the Chicago Tribune, some three hundred thousand happy 528 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:31,400 Speaker 1: and hilarious war veterans and their relatives were in town. 529 00:33:31,760 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: That's about fifty thousand more veterans than there are active 530 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:38,080 Speaker 1: soldiers in the standing US military at the time. Right, 531 00:33:38,280 --> 00:33:41,640 Speaker 1: think about it. If a coup does occur, the US 532 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:47,160 Speaker 1: government will be dangerously outnumbered. This is frightening stuff. In 533 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:50,080 Speaker 1: any case. FDR gives a big speech at the convention. 534 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:54,200 Speaker 1: I'm right to the Legion. I ask your father and 535 00:33:54,400 --> 00:34:00,520 Speaker 1: even greater Rapper in your program of national recovery. You 536 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:07,160 Speaker 1: war on a pomb, you, sir, you the old of 537 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,360 Speaker 1: a legion to the American Legion. You wasn't a part 538 00:34:12,280 --> 00:34:17,760 Speaker 1: the ideals of American citizenship. You I have paws of 539 00:34:17,880 --> 00:34:23,000 Speaker 1: the clause a game. Smedley follows the convention in the papers. 540 00:34:23,360 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 1: He notes with some amusement a deluge of telegrams delivered 541 00:34:27,440 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 1: to the delegates and sees that the Assembly passed a 542 00:34:30,640 --> 00:34:36,440 Speaker 1: measure calling for a resumption of the gold standard. Huh, well, 543 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:39,160 Speaker 1: I guess they did it, and that's the end of 544 00:34:39,160 --> 00:34:42,920 Speaker 1: the story. Folks, thanks so much for listening. Roll those credits. 545 00:34:43,280 --> 00:34:47,120 Speaker 1: Let's start a goose the production. Wait wait, not quite credits, lady, 546 00:34:47,360 --> 00:34:51,800 Speaker 1: There's more to our story. Look, listeners, this wasn't about 547 00:34:51,840 --> 00:34:56,320 Speaker 1: the American Legion Convention. What McGuire and his bosses really 548 00:34:56,360 --> 00:35:00,760 Speaker 1: wanted was Smedley showing up and standing before hundreds of 549 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:05,240 Speaker 1: thousands of vets as their leader. But that didn't happen, 550 00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 1: so they had to find another way to convince Smedley 551 00:35:09,800 --> 00:35:14,800 Speaker 1: to be on their side. In late August, Smedley agrees 552 00:35:14,840 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 1: to a secret meeting at Philadelphia's Bellevue Hotel with his 553 00:35:18,280 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 1: favorite Hollywood film star, Ruby Killer. I'm a huge fan 554 00:35:22,600 --> 00:35:27,760 Speaker 1: Miss Killer, flattered who wanted to meet me? Hallo? Oh no, 555 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:30,680 Speaker 1: it's Jerry McGuire. You tricked me. But since you're here, 556 00:35:30,760 --> 00:35:33,160 Speaker 1: let's chat for a mole. Huh No, I said a 557 00:35:33,280 --> 00:35:36,200 Speaker 1: hundred times. I'm done with you, creeper. They have hot 558 00:35:36,200 --> 00:35:42,520 Speaker 1: honey garlic shrimp. I'll give you forty five minutes. Okay, okay, 559 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 1: so stepping in here, hang on. It obviously didn't happen 560 00:35:46,720 --> 00:35:50,360 Speaker 1: like that. But Smedley, man the record show you kept 561 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,640 Speaker 1: meeting with McGuire, why do you keep giving this guy 562 00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:57,440 Speaker 1: your time? Well, all of this other stuff aside. He's 563 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,880 Speaker 1: a vet and I've got a famously opened door for vets. 564 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 1: Plus their shrimp here is like their thing. It's world famous. 565 00:36:05,360 --> 00:36:07,560 Speaker 1: Smedley and McGuire huddled together in the back of the 566 00:36:07,640 --> 00:36:10,560 Speaker 1: vacant dining room. They speak in hush tones to see 567 00:36:10,560 --> 00:36:14,640 Speaker 1: the shape, just like a bell. McGuire says, he's just 568 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:16,920 Speaker 1: returned from a long holiday in Europe. How do you 569 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,240 Speaker 1: afford all this, McGuire? You earn a hundred bucks a week. 570 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:24,720 Speaker 1: My friends are real generous. Send me overseas for a 571 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:28,760 Speaker 1: little rest and you know a little fascism research like 572 00:36:28,840 --> 00:36:33,920 Speaker 1: you do. There's this new fella Hitler, ever heard of him? Fabulous? 573 00:36:34,080 --> 00:36:36,960 Speaker 1: And in Italy Mussolini pays the veterans so he can 574 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:39,800 Speaker 1: depend on him when there's trouble. No questions asked, Not 575 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:42,280 Speaker 1: that that system would work in America. We need a 576 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:45,320 Speaker 1: more dependable model. So eventually I got to France and 577 00:36:45,360 --> 00:36:48,120 Speaker 1: it was there I told my guys there I found 578 00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:53,240 Speaker 1: exactly the type of organization we should have. It's called QUADAFU. 579 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:57,720 Speaker 1: That's cross of fire. Sounds fancier if you say Quada 580 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:02,440 Speaker 1: Thu agreed. That's the name of a French vets group 581 00:37:02,440 --> 00:37:06,240 Speaker 1: with around one hundred and fifty thousand members. They wear 582 00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:09,880 Speaker 1: suits and arm bands, the whole nine. Their politics are 583 00:37:10,320 --> 00:37:13,880 Speaker 1: far right of far right. So you want to bring 584 00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:17,240 Speaker 1: this cross of fire concept to our boys in the US, 585 00:37:18,760 --> 00:37:21,520 Speaker 1: just out of curiosity while we wait for the shrimp. 586 00:37:22,240 --> 00:37:24,480 Speaker 1: What would you and your friends do with this thing? 587 00:37:24,560 --> 00:37:27,280 Speaker 1: If you got it up and running, they'll support the president, 588 00:37:27,400 --> 00:37:33,520 Speaker 1: of course. Smedley can't believe his ears. Huh. For months McGuire, 589 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:37,800 Speaker 1: his benefactors and their ilk have opposed Roosevelt, the so 590 00:37:37,920 --> 00:37:42,000 Speaker 1: called socialist. They refer to him as the and this 591 00:37:42,120 --> 00:37:45,400 Speaker 1: is a quote cripple in the White House. What does 592 00:37:45,520 --> 00:37:48,240 Speaker 1: Roosevelt need these guys for? And what do we need 593 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,960 Speaker 1: Roosevelt for? Smedley? We gotta get this country back on track, 594 00:37:52,040 --> 00:37:55,080 Speaker 1: don't you see that. We gotta make sure the presidency 595 00:37:55,160 --> 00:37:58,440 Speaker 1: operates the way a presidency ought to operate. Is the 596 00:37:58,480 --> 00:38:02,040 Speaker 1: purpose of this organization to scare the president? No? No, no, 597 00:38:02,080 --> 00:38:06,720 Speaker 1: we want to help the president. Poor guy. He's tired, 598 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:10,840 Speaker 1: is overworked. You can see it in his stupid long face. 599 00:38:11,320 --> 00:38:15,200 Speaker 1: We need a Secretary of general affairs like an assistant 600 00:38:15,280 --> 00:38:19,240 Speaker 1: president a miracle will go along with it, after all, 601 00:38:19,400 --> 00:38:23,080 Speaker 1: we've got the newspapers. Oh, I just got another idea. 602 00:38:23,240 --> 00:38:25,520 Speaker 1: Seems like you got a lot of ideas. All of 603 00:38:25,560 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 1: a sudden, we'll start a campaign that Roosevelt's health is 604 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,760 Speaker 1: failing and the win over their sympathy. So you're just 605 00:38:32,920 --> 00:38:35,560 Speaker 1: gonna put somebody in that you can manipulate, and the 606 00:38:35,600 --> 00:38:39,360 Speaker 1: President is just gonna kiss babies and dedicate bridges. President 607 00:38:39,480 --> 00:38:42,160 Speaker 1: isn't going to go along with this plan. Oh yeah, 608 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,840 Speaker 1: see you well, and we want you to run our organization. 609 00:38:48,480 --> 00:38:52,760 Speaker 1: Pardon will Smidley go along with the idea? Will the 610 00:38:52,840 --> 00:38:56,640 Speaker 1: plan to stage a coup on the Roosevelt White House succeed? Well? 611 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:59,880 Speaker 1: The hot honey garlic shrimp live up to Smidley's expectations. 612 00:39:00,400 --> 00:39:07,320 Speaker 1: That one. I'll answer right now absolutely. Next time on 613 00:39:07,440 --> 00:39:10,280 Speaker 1: let's start a coup. We travel to the smoke filled 614 00:39:10,360 --> 00:39:12,680 Speaker 1: room to meet the would be puppet masters of this 615 00:39:12,800 --> 00:39:16,360 Speaker 1: burgeoning conspiracy. Who are they? Exactly, what do they want? 616 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:18,240 Speaker 1: And why do they think Smelly Butler will be the 617 00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:21,840 Speaker 1: perfect face for their fascist revolution? Just my natural masculine 618 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:26,680 Speaker 1: appeal I Reckon credits lady, what do you think. I 619 00:39:26,720 --> 00:39:29,760 Speaker 1: think it's time for the credits? Oh yeah, okay for 620 00:39:29,800 --> 00:39:32,880 Speaker 1: real this time, let's start a coup as a production 621 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:36,000 Speaker 1: of School of Humans and I Hard Podcasts. Our hosts 622 00:39:36,000 --> 00:39:39,280 Speaker 1: are Alex Brench and Ben Bolin. The show is written 623 00:39:39,280 --> 00:39:42,920 Speaker 1: by Alex Brench, with additional writing by Joeken Ocean. Original 624 00:39:43,000 --> 00:39:46,160 Speaker 1: music and scoring by Joe Ken Ocean. Character voices by 625 00:39:46,200 --> 00:39:49,880 Speaker 1: Joeken Ocean. And he's hogging the credits again, somebody please 626 00:39:49,880 --> 00:39:54,160 Speaker 1: stop him? And Elspettas is our producer. I'm also the 627 00:39:54,200 --> 00:39:59,120 Speaker 1: credits lady. Amelia Bruck is our senior producer. Sound design, scoring, 628 00:39:59,240 --> 00:40:05,120 Speaker 1: mixing and mastering by Alexander Overington, story editing by Lacy Roberts, 629 00:40:05,160 --> 00:40:09,240 Speaker 1: fact checking by Austin Thompson. Sean Riggins is our recording engineer. 630 00:40:10,040 --> 00:40:14,280 Speaker 1: Recorded at Tune Welders in Atlanta, Georgia. Executive producers are 631 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:19,440 Speaker 1: Jason English, Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, and Elsie Crowley. Special 632 00:40:19,480 --> 00:40:23,560 Speaker 1: thanks to Ethan Trucks Clips courtesy of the National Archives 633 00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:27,080 Speaker 1: and Records Administration. If you're enjoying the show, help us 634 00:40:27,080 --> 00:40:28,520 Speaker 1: get the word out by leaving a rating in your 635 00:40:28,520 --> 00:40:31,440 Speaker 1: favorite podcast app. But make it a good one, you monsters. 636 00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:35,000 Speaker 1: We deserve it. Tune in next time. Four Let's start 637 00:40:35,040 --> 00:40:44,720 Speaker 1: a coup school of humans.