Bonus Army
Unemployed veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington DC 20420.
Washinton, D.C.
In 1932, World War I veterans marched in protest in Washington. They were angry because Congress had delayed payment of their promised bonuses. The march ended with the veterans receiving their bonus pay.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was unveiled in Washington, D.C.
Unemployed veterans
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur.
Unemployed World War I veterans marched on DC in the summer of 1932, seeking early payment for service compensation.
The conflict between the Bonus Army veterans and soldiers in 1932 was sparked by the veterans' demand for immediate payment of bonuses promised to them for their service in World War I. Many veterans had marched to Washington, D.C., seeking financial relief during the Great Depression. When the U.S. government decided to disperse the group and refused to meet their demands, tensions escalated. The situation culminated in violent clashes when the Army, under General Douglas MacArthur, forcibly removed the protesters from their encampment.
WWI veterans wanted a promised bonus .
Washington
Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington DC 20420.
They were nicknamed The Bonus Army
General Douglas MacArthur used military force to clear the Bonus Army from Washington, D.C., in July 1932. He ordered troops, including infantry and cavalry, to advance against the veterans' encampment, which had been protesting for early payment of bonuses. The operation involved the use of tear gas and bayonets, leading to violent clashes and the eventual dispersal of the protesters. The aggressive response drew significant public criticism and raised concerns about the treatment of war veterans.
Washinton, D.C.
After WWI, Congress votes to give veterans a bonus that will be paid in the year 1945, but in 1932 veterans march on Washington DC demanding their bonus. Thousands of veterans set up camp out side of the capital