Bonus Army
During the mid 1920's and WWI, as compensation for serving in the the US army, Congress voted to give veterans $1.00 a day for serving in the states, and $1.25 a day for serving overseas. The catch was that the money would be paid to veterans by 1945. Unfortunately in 1932 the Nation fell into the dark depression and the economy plummeted. Congress no longer had the funds to quickly pay back the veterans; however, they were demanding their money immediately. In May, 1932, around 15,000 veterans, unemployed and in desperate need of financial help from the government, traveled to Washington D.C. to demand their bonus. They essentially built homes from accessible materials and vowed to stay until they received their money. They formally called themselves the Bonus Expeditionary Force, but were commonly known as the Bonus Army. The 'army's' leader, Walter Waters, kept morale strong in hopes that the veterans would ultimately be successful in collecting what they were previously promised.
On June 17 the US Senate voted against the decision to immediately give the WWI veterans their bonus money, it was unrealistic given the deplorable economic conditions of our Nation. Later that night, 10,000 Bonus Army members assembled at the capitol to peacefully march. The march lasted until July 17. After some time Hoover became aggravated by the reluctance and refusal from the Bonus Army to leave Washington D.C., and he ordered General MacArthur to peacefully evacuate the veterans from government property. The Washington police joined MacArthur's troops and things got out of hand. Shots were fired and two marchers were killed. After MacArthur pushed the veterans past the Anacostia River, president Hoover ordered him to stop his troops. MacArthur didn't take notice to these orders and continued on with tanks and tear gas. By morning the veterans camps had set fire and there were numerous casualties and veterans in hospitals.
This tragedy was a huge blow to Hoover's political standing. Although it was MacArthur who disobeyed Hoover's orders and continued to violently evacuate the Bonus Army, Hoover was believed to have supported the movement. Overall 100 Bonus Army marchers were killed in a pacifist attempt to collect their bonus, something that was rightfully promised to them for risking their lives in a brutal war. In the beginning, the bonus Congress agreed to seemed very auspicious and a way to thank our troops. Consequently, it quickly escalated into unfulfilled promises from our Nation's government, and troops feeling like they were greatly unappreciated. When recounting the Bonus Army tragedy, Einsenhower stated "the whole scene was pitiful. The veterans were ragged, ill-fed, and felt themselves badly abused. To suddenly see the whole encampment going up in flames just added to the pity".
On June 17 the US Senate voted against the decision to immediately give the WWI veterans their bonus money, it was unrealistic given the deplorable economic conditions of our Nation. Later that night, 10,000 Bonus Army members assembled at the capitol to peacefully march. The march lasted until July 17. After some time Hoover became aggravated by the reluctance and refusal from the Bonus Army to leave Washington D.C., and he ordered General MacArthur to peacefully evacuate the veterans from government property. The Washington police joined MacArthur's troops and things got out of hand. Shots were fired and two marchers were killed. After MacArthur pushed the veterans past the Anacostia River, president Hoover ordered him to stop his troops. MacArthur didn't take notice to these orders and continued on with tanks and tear gas. By morning the veterans camps had set fire and there were numerous casualties and veterans in hospitals.
This tragedy was a huge blow to Hoover's political standing. Although it was MacArthur who disobeyed Hoover's orders and continued to violently evacuate the Bonus Army, Hoover was believed to have supported the movement. Overall 100 Bonus Army marchers were killed in a pacifist attempt to collect their bonus, something that was rightfully promised to them for risking their lives in a brutal war. In the beginning, the bonus Congress agreed to seemed very auspicious and a way to thank our troops. Consequently, it quickly escalated into unfulfilled promises from our Nation's government, and troops feeling like they were greatly unappreciated. When recounting the Bonus Army tragedy, Einsenhower stated "the whole scene was pitiful. The veterans were ragged, ill-fed, and felt themselves badly abused. To suddenly see the whole encampment going up in flames just added to the pity".