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How the 1932 Bonus Army - which brought dramatic change to how the US government treated its war veterans - was painted in 1932
It was on this day in 1932 that the Bonus Expeditionary Forces was attacked by the US Army:
"I was treating a man who had been overcome with heat when in came soldiers with bayonets and gas masks..I'd been 18 months overseas and knew what that meant"
"I was treating a man who had been overcome with heat when in came soldiers with bayonets and gas masks..I'd been 18 months overseas and knew what that meant"
Even after the Bonus Marchers were evicted from DC, they moved to MD and PA. Law enforcement was called to account for their unusual activities - many cited communist influences among the bonus marchers
President Hoover claimed that less than half of the marchers were actually veterans
In fact, 9/10 marchers were veterans. 20% were disabled from WWI. They marched again in 1933. President Franklin D Roosevelt treated them much differently, providing them housing & food even though he disagreed with them
The First Lady visited the camp and lunched with the veterans, sharing stories about watching WWI troops leave for the front. "Hoover sent the army, Roosevelt sent his wife" remarked one veteran. She afterwards commented on how well-behaved & courteous the protesters were
In 1936, Congress authorized the funds to pay the bonus - $2 billion dollars. The bill had strong enough support to override FDR's veto. It was the landmark for ensuring that the nation would look after its veterans - all because of the Bonus Marchers
