3. They came home to a hero’s welcome and were
promised a “bonus” for serving their country with honor
4. The Bonus amounted to $1,000 -payable in 1945
This was the “belt tightening” time of the Great
Depression
Many veterans, like everyone else, were down on
their luck and in need of money.
Having the delayed bonus was like –
walking around with a check in your pocket you
couldn’t cash for over 10 years
Desperate veterans began to rally together &
reformed their old units looking for solutions
5. Veterans in Oregon decided to “Hop” a train and
travel to Washington DC to talk to Pres. Hoover
As they went east - summer of 1932
word spread throughout the country
People in towns would “pass the hat” for them
as they went through
More Veterans joined them along the way and
an Army of Bonus Veterans formed
They Decided to Demand early payment of
their Bonuses
6. Walter Waters became the leader of the movement who
demanded their payment in 1932
- Some Members of Congress introduced a “Bonus Bill”
8. Tent Village of the Bonus Veterans
by the Anacostia River in DC
9. About 17,000 veterans gathered outside of
the Capital Building the day Congress voted
10. The Bonus Bill was Rejected by
the Senate
Veterans were stunned and broken hearted
Some left for home
Others stayed to push for passage of another bill
They returned to the tent village(Hooverville)
Pres. Hoover grew more uncomfortable and
feared violence from the veterans
12. The last cavalry charge in U.S. History was
against our own homeless veterans
13. The tent village was destroyed as
people fled into the night
Gen. Douglas MacArthur led the attack on
the veterans
Hoover tried to send orders down to
MacArthur to call off the assault
The orders were ignored
Several died and hundreds were wounded
15. How do you think Hoover looked
after this incident?
16. Americans were greatly disturbed by the
sight of soldiers using weapons against
homeless veterans
Public Opinion of Hoover fell even more
The Election was only several months away
FDR- “There’s no way I can lose now”
The Bonus Army will reappear
After FDR’s Victory. How will he
deal with them?
17. Do You Notice anything “Ironic”
concerning this WWI Poster
18. Unit 6 – Quiz 1
Tomorrow – 40 pts / MC and T & F
GREAT DEPRESSION PAPER
- movie can be a guide -