Bonus Marchers Pros And Cons

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The war ended, and so did their pay. After the end of World War I, the Congress enacted a bill that would reward the veterans bonuses for each day they serve. The bill provided cash bonuses to the veterans that would be funded beginning in 1945. After the Great Depression, the nation settled and all the veterans started to demand their bonuses. In May of 1932, almost 15,000 veterans and their family made their way to Washington D.C. (John J. Chiodo) The events of the “Bonus Army” provide the plight of these veterans. The Bonus Marchers brought the GI Bill of Rights, also called Servicemen’s Readjustment Act which provided benefits to returning veterans. (“The Bonus Army”) The Bonus Army consists of World War I veterans who …show more content…

June 4, 1932, the Bonus Army marched down the streets of Washington. Veterans filled the representative’s waiting room, while others gathered around the Capitol building. On June 14, 1932, the bonus bill, which opposed the Republicans loyal to Hoover, came to the floor. While Congressman Edward E. Eslick was talking in the help of the bill, he fell dead from a heart attack. A large number of veterans walked for his burial service, while congress dismissed out of regard. The following day, the House of Representatives passed the bonus bill by a vote of 211 to 176. On June 17, 1982, almost 8,000 veterans gathered around the Capitol hoping for the Senate to pass the bill. Another 10,000 in Anacostia were stranded because police had raised to keep them out of the city. It continued until evening, around 9:30, the Senate’s aides went and got Waters and brought him inside. He returned later to break the news that the bill was defeated. People thought that the veterans would start attacking the Capitol. Instead, they sang “America” and returned to the camp. (“The Bonus …show more content…

Waters and 20,000 others stayed and declared that they were “to stay here until 1945 if necessary to get our bonus.” As weeks passed, conditions on the camp worsened. Evalyn McLean contacted Vice President Charles Curtis saying “Unless something is done for these men, there is bound to be a lot of trouble.” Higher ups were worried that the Bonus Army would turn violent like President Hoover, Army Chief of Staff MacArthur, and Secretary of War Patrick J. Hurley. On July 28, 1932, Police Chief Glassford arrived in Anacostia Camp with 100 policemen to evict them on President Hoover’s orders. The veterans had voted to remain. Later on, a few veterans confronted policemen who quickly turned into violence. Veterans threw bricks while the policemen used their nightsticks. Once it ended, one Bonus Army lay dead, another wounded and three policemen injured. (“The Bonus

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