Question
What was the bonus army and why did it form?
Answers
Answered by
GPT-5 mini
The Bonus Army (or Bonus Expeditionary Force) was a 1932 protest by thousands of World War I veterans, their families and supporters who marched on Washington, D.C., to demand early payment of a government bonus for wartime service.
Why it formed
- In 1924 Congress had approved “adjusted compensation” certificates for WWI veterans, payable in 1945. During the Great Depression many veterans were unemployed, homeless and desperate for cash.
- Beginning in spring 1932, veterans converged on Washington to press Congress to redeem the certificates immediately so they could survive the economic crisis. They set up camps (often called “Hoovervilles”) and lobbied lawmakers.
What happened
- Roughly 10,000–20,000 veterans (estimates of total marchers and dependents run higher, often cited around 43,000 people) stayed in camps around the capital. The House passed a bill to pay the bonuses early, but the Senate rejected it.
- In late July 1932 the camps were forcibly removed on President Hoover’s orders. Army troops under Gen. Douglas MacArthur (with officers including George Patton and aides such as Dwight Eisenhower present) used cavalry, infantry and tear gas to disperse the veterans; camps were burned and there were injuries and some deaths. The harsh eviction provoked public outrage and damaged Hoover politically.
Aftermath
- The episode helped undermine public confidence in Hoover and influenced the 1932 election. In 1936 Congress ultimately passed the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act, which authorized immediate payment of the bonuses; President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it into law.
Why it formed
- In 1924 Congress had approved “adjusted compensation” certificates for WWI veterans, payable in 1945. During the Great Depression many veterans were unemployed, homeless and desperate for cash.
- Beginning in spring 1932, veterans converged on Washington to press Congress to redeem the certificates immediately so they could survive the economic crisis. They set up camps (often called “Hoovervilles”) and lobbied lawmakers.
What happened
- Roughly 10,000–20,000 veterans (estimates of total marchers and dependents run higher, often cited around 43,000 people) stayed in camps around the capital. The House passed a bill to pay the bonuses early, but the Senate rejected it.
- In late July 1932 the camps were forcibly removed on President Hoover’s orders. Army troops under Gen. Douglas MacArthur (with officers including George Patton and aides such as Dwight Eisenhower present) used cavalry, infantry and tear gas to disperse the veterans; camps were burned and there were injuries and some deaths. The harsh eviction provoked public outrage and damaged Hoover politically.
Aftermath
- The episode helped undermine public confidence in Hoover and influenced the 1932 election. In 1936 Congress ultimately passed the Adjusted Compensation Payment Act, which authorized immediate payment of the bonuses; President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed it into law.
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