The Great Depression ignited an event of epic proportion in Washington, D.C., known as the Bonus March. Dubbed the Nation’s Army, 15,000 veterans from the war starving and unemployed, gathered from across the nation to claim what they viewed as being rightfully theirs. However, the World War I veterans would find out the hard way that the federal government would not be accommodating of their request. A promise was made, but would if be fulfilled?
One dollar and 25 cents for each day overseas and a dollar a day in the United States was the money owed to the war heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect the geat people of America. The average owed per person was about $700.00 to $1,000.00 which, in today’s money was 12,000 …show more content…
The Senate was voting on the bill that was immediately passed by the House to give the veterans their well earned bonus. By dusk 10,000 marchers gather around the capitol grounds awaiting the outcome. The Senate had defeated the bill by a vote of 62 to 18. The crowd reacted with stunned silence. The walk back to their camps was called “The Death March”. They continued to wait outside the capitol until July 17.
On July 28, Attorney General Mitchell orders the evacuation of the veterans from all government property. The Washington police were having difficulties dealing with resistance. Some shots were fired killing two marchers. After knowledge of the events were divulge, President Hoover reordered the army to clear out the veterans. They used 6 tanks to scare the them off! Thousands of civil service employees spilled out of work and lined the streets to watch.
By nightfall the Bonus Army had retreated across the Anacostia River. By early morning the 10,000 inhabitants were routed and the camps were inflamed. Two babies died and nearby hospitals overwhelmed with casualties. Eisenhower later wrote “The whole scene was pitiful. The veterans were ragged, ill fed. and felt themselves badly abused. Tp suddenly see the whole encampment going up in flames just added to the
One dollar and 25 cents for each day overseas and a dollar a day in the United States was the money owed to the war heroes who sacrificed their lives to protect the geat people of America. The average owed per person was about $700.00 to $1,000.00 which, in today’s money was 12,000 …show more content…
The Senate was voting on the bill that was immediately passed by the House to give the veterans their well earned bonus. By dusk 10,000 marchers gather around the capitol grounds awaiting the outcome. The Senate had defeated the bill by a vote of 62 to 18. The crowd reacted with stunned silence. The walk back to their camps was called “The Death March”. They continued to wait outside the capitol until July 17.
On July 28, Attorney General Mitchell orders the evacuation of the veterans from all government property. The Washington police were having difficulties dealing with resistance. Some shots were fired killing two marchers. After knowledge of the events were divulge, President Hoover reordered the army to clear out the veterans. They used 6 tanks to scare the them off! Thousands of civil service employees spilled out of work and lined the streets to watch.
By nightfall the Bonus Army had retreated across the Anacostia River. By early morning the 10,000 inhabitants were routed and the camps were inflamed. Two babies died and nearby hospitals overwhelmed with casualties. Eisenhower later wrote “The whole scene was pitiful. The veterans were ragged, ill fed. and felt themselves badly abused. Tp suddenly see the whole encampment going up in flames just added to the