Seldes, George. Iron, Blood and Profits: An Exposure of the World-Wide
Munitions Racket. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1934. 397 pages.
In 1921, the League of Nations accused armament manufacturers in
Britain, France, Germany, Austria, and America of instigating and profiting
from the World War. In this book George Seldes presents the evidence from
official sources that the League failed to publish. The arms industry traded
with its enemies before and during the war, promoted war scares in the
newspapers, and sabotaged disarmament efforts. It supported dictators in
Europe, lobbied and bribed government officials and bankers, and financed
patriotic, defense, naval, air and army leagues. The war was prolonged for
two years by the arms industry, according to military experts. This book
was published one year after Hitler's 1933 triumph. Germany had begun
rearming, with the approval of Mussolini. Meanwhile, nitrates, powder,
airplanes, and airplane motors were shipped from U.S. manufacturers to
Japan from 1932-1934. Seldes is worried that the entire pattern might be
starting all over again.
"No reason for war remains except sudden profits for the fifty men
who run the munitions racket.... History since the arrival of Big Business
in armaments is largely the history of preparations for war.... The first
real step toward [peace] is the destruction of the world-wide munitions
racket. It will cost millions of dollars. It will save millions of lives."
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