Bonus Army

From ArticleWorld

Bonus Army or Bonus March or Bonus Expeditionary Force was the term used to describe more than 15,000 World War I veteran soldiers and their families and friends who collected and demonstrated in Washington D.C., in June 1932, for speedy payment of bonus that had been promised to them by the Adjusted Service Certificate Law of 1924.

The situation

The bonus was to be paid at the rate of $ 1.00 per day of service within the Country and at the rate of $ 1.25 for service overseas. This payment was promised to be paid to them in 1945 but the great Depression into which the Nation had slipped by 1932, forced these unemployed veterans to ask for their share earlier.

In May 1932, more than 15,000 veterans and their families and children came down to Washington D.C. demanding immediate payment of their money and were soon dubbed the Bonus Army by the locals. They set up camp across the river in front of Capitol Hill building shelters out of junk and surprisingly maintaining discipline. Their leader was Walter Waters who was very strict about new enrolments to the camp and pressed on for the passing of the bill for their payment. The bill passed the House of Representatives, but did not make the Senate.

The eruption

A silent Death March began in front of the Capitol and lasted until July 17, when Congress adjourned. The Congress offered to pay the fares for the veterans to return home but not all of them did so and on July 28, President Herbert Hoover ordered troops to clear the site and the ensuing scuffle and pandemonium resulted in the death of two protesters. The tents of the veterans were burnt, the marchers tear gassed and attacked with bayonets.

The whole incident cost Herbert Hoover his win in the re-election and the bill was finally passed only at the end of President Roosevelt’s term. After W.W.II, the American government enacted the G.I. Bill of Rights.