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The Plot to Seize the White House: The Shocking True Story of the Conspiracy to Overthrow FDR | 
| Author: Jules Archer
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $14.95
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Rating:  16 reviews
Media: Paperback
Pages: 256
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.1 x 5.5 x 0.8
ISBN: 1602390363
Dewey Decimal Number: 322.420973
EAN: 9781602390362
ASIN: 1602390363
Publication Date: March 2007
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Product Description
Most people will be shocked to learn that in 1933 a cabal of wealthy industrialists—in league with groups like the K.K.K. and the American Liberty League—planned to overthrow the U.S. government in a fascist coup. Their plan was to turn discontented veterans into American “brown shirts,” depose F.D.R., and stop the New Deal. They clandestinely asked Medal of Honor recipient and Marine Major General Smedley Darlington Butler to become the first American Caesar. He, though, was a true patriot and revealed the plot to journalists and to Congress. In a time when a sitting President has invoked national security to circumvent constitutional checks and balances, this episode puts the spotlight on attacks upon our democracy and the individual courage needed to repel them.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 History repeats itself June 14, 2008
Gompers (Pennsylvania)
We've all been taught that history repeats itself but struggle to recall specific moments in history that show this axiom to be true. Jules Archer writing in the 1970's shows a moment in history happening to us this day in the 21st century. The relentless assault on our constitution by the right wing of todays Republican party shows that this has happened before in our great Democratic-Republic and it was only thwarted by people brave enough and a Press free enough to expose the power of big money interests.A blueprint for what the average American needs to know if we wish to preserve our constitutional privileges.
A great book about a little known part of history April 10, 2008
J. Bohling (Blue Grass, IA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
This is a great little book (available for free download on the net, but still better to get a hard copy) about a proto fascist plot to seize the White House in 1933 (otherwise known as the Business Plot). It goes into great detail about those who were in on the plan, and one Gen. Butler who blew the whistle.
While the actual chance of success of the plot was is hard to determine, it was very well organized. It needed the support of Veterans groups like the VFW (whose leadership declined involvement), and a lot of things to break just right. But there was a plot, and the fallout of the failed plot was common knowledge for those alive at the time. Ask your grandparents about it, and many will remember this in the headlines.
Interestingly enough, there was also communists/socialist (in the terms of the time Red instead of Black) plots, though none as well organized as the one outlined in this book. The 1930's were a time of great social upheaval, and many thought that capitalism had failed and were looking for a "new" system. A revoluntionary coup was not only unsurprising at the time, but expected by many.
Those that dont know history are bound to repeat it February 8, 2008
Francisco J. Toca Fte (Mexico City, Mexico)
6 out of 7 found this review helpful
A great read for the American public; another opportunity to review their democratic system in the light of the real forces behind their goverment...
 Shocking! February 7, 2008
Rodent
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
This book shows how fragile democracy is. I am not sure what is more shocking, the plot itself, the response of the media, or the failure to dig deeper into the plot. I will recommend this book to everybody I know.
I also appreciated the fact that the author presents a rather balanced account of the plot, for example, pointing out that it is by no means certain that JP Morgan, etc. had knowledge of the plot.
It is a fast but powerful read. Who needs conspiracy 'theories' when there are plenty of actual conspiracies around?
How dictatorships form January 26, 2008
Newton Ooi (Phoenix, Arizona United States)
9 out of 11 found this review helpful
A commonly asked question among historians is "how do democracies turn into dictatorships?" Two historical events are commonly used as models to answer this question; the transition from Roman Republic to Roman Empire, and the rise of the Nazis in Weimar Germany. A third event could also be thrown in; one that is almost forgotten to history, even though it is well-documented. This third event is the cabal of financial interests that came together in the early 1930's to take out FDR. This event is documented in this book; first released in the 1970s, and re-published last year. The chief protagonist is General Smedley Butler, one of the most decorated marines in US history. As a popular war hero, in his retirement he is approached by several representatives of financial interests asking him to lead an army of jobless veterans onto D.C. to essentially intimidate FDR into giving up power. These financial interests include Morgan, Rockefeller, Al Smith, and other powerful figures of that time; and their goal is to stop FDR out of fear of higher taxes.
Smedley Butler, being the true patriot, leads them on and finally exposes them to the press and Congress. The press, being controlled predominantly by big business, downplays Butler's story and the ensuing Congressional hearings. But the conspiracy is stopped, and the rest is history. As a secondary theme, the book explores Butler's growing disdain for war, and realization that US intervention in other countries is almost always done for the profit of US corporations. Interestingly, after reading the book, one comes to see that the original House Committee on Un-American Activities focused its attention on war profiteers, and was eventually taken over by pro-business interests as a weapon against labor unions and liberal intellectuals.
Many of the events and ideas discussed in this book are especially appropriate today with the Iraq war. I highly recommend this book.
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