National Mall: where World War I veterans were tear-gassed by their own government

MacArthur’s Violent Eviction of 20,000 WWI Veterans

In 1932, hungry World War I vets took trains to Washington with a simple ask: pay us now, not later. The Great Depression had hit hard, and these men just wanted the bonus Congress had promised for their service.

Soon, over 20,000 veterans and their families built camps near the National Mall. The House voted yes to early payment, but the Senate said no.

Things got ugly fast. President Hoover sent in troops led by MacArthur, Patton, and Eisenhower who used tanks and tear gas to drive them out.

The sight of war heroes being attacked by the same Army they once served shocked the nation. Today, the National Mall holds this painful memory of American veterans fighting for what they earned.

Unemployed Army Sergeant Sparks a Movement

Walter Waters stood up at a Portland veterans meeting on March 15, 1932, with a gutsy idea.

The jobless former Army sergeant suggested they jump on freight trains to Washington to get their promised World War I bonuses. No one joined him that night, but his plan caught fire in West Coast papers.

Veterans across the region soon packed their bags for Portland, ready to join Waters in his push for what they felt the government owed them.

Broke Veterans Begin Their Cross-Country Trek

On May 11, 1932, about 300 veterans gathered under a “Portland Bonus March—On to Washington” banner with just $30 between them.

Railroad workers took pity on them and gave them a freight train that reeked of cow poop, but they didn’t care. They called themselves the Bonus Expeditionary Force (BEF), linking back to their wartime service.

Their 18-day trip east got other veteran groups across the country fired up to join them.

Thousands of Former Soldiers Flood into Washington

Veterans from all 48 states started heading to Washington any way they could. They hopped freight trains, hitched rides, or walked.

Waters and his Oregon group arrived in Washington on May 29, meeting several hundred veterans already camped there. By June 1, about 1,500 men with families lived in makeshift shantytowns.

Police Chief Pelham Glassford, a veteran himself, treated them kindly and asked for $75,000 to feed the growing crowd.

A Massive Camp Takes Shape on Anacostia Flats

The main camp spread across 30 acres of Anacostia Flats, nicknamed Camp Bartlett. More camps popped up at 12th Street and B Street NW, plus 3rd Street and Pennsylvania Avenue.

By summer, between 20,000 and 43,000 veterans and families lived in these camps. Black and white veterans slept side by side, unusual during that time of segregation.

Waters ran a strict camp, making everyone show their honorable discharge and follow military rules.

Congress Crushes Veterans’ Hopes for Payment

The House passed the Wright Patman Bonus Bill 211-176 on June 15, 1932, and the veterans cheered.

The bill would give them their promised bonuses now, $1 per day for stateside service and $1.25 per day overseas, instead of making them wait until 1945. But two days later, the Senate killed the bill 62-18.

Most upset veterans went home, but several thousand stayed, having nowhere else to go.

Summer Heat Boils Tensions in the Capital

July brought hot weather and worse bathroom conditions, putting pressure on officials to end the protest. The veterans promised to stay until Congress came back in session, keeping their protests peaceful.

President Hoover’s team started calling them communists, claiming the camps had been taken over by radicals. By July 21, the Army got ready for a possible fight as the political situation grew tense.

Police Bullets Kill Two Veterans During Eviction

On July 28, police tried to kick BEF members out of empty government buildings set for demolition. Fights broke out between police and protesters along Pennsylvania Avenue.

Officers shot and killed two veterans, while several police got hurt when protesters threw bricks.

President Hoover then told his Secretary of War to “surround the affected area and clear it without delay,” setting up a much bigger clash.

Tanks and Troops March Against Former Servicemen

General Douglas MacArthur took charge of 800 troops, including Major George Patton’s 3rd Cavalry. The force included 400 foot soldiers, 200 mounted cavalry, a machine gun squadron, and six tanks.

MacArthur claimed the BEF wanted to overthrow the government.

His troops moved down Pennsylvania Avenue with fixed bayonets and tear gas, ready to force the veterans out.

War Hero Gets Rejected by the Man Whose Life He Saved

Joe Angelo spotted Major Patton among the troops. Angelo had saved Patton’s life in France in 1918 and earned the Distinguished Service Cross for his bravery. He approached his former commander, hoping for recognition.

Patton coldly rejected him, saying, “I do not know this man. Take him away.”

Later, Patton told his officers, “Can you imagine the headlines if the papers got word of our meeting.” The war hero found himself evicted by the very man he had rescued.

MacArthur Ignores the President’s Direct Orders

President Hoover twice ordered MacArthur not to cross the Anacostia River into the main veteran camp. MacArthur ignored these commands, wanting a “complete” victory over the protesters.

His troops used tear gas, bayonets, and torches to destroy the entire BEF settlement. By midnight, flames ate through the veterans’ shacks while families grabbed what they could and ran for safety.

A President Falls After Attacking His Own Veterans

The Washington Daily News called it a “pitiful spectacle” of “the mightiest government chasing unarmed citizens with tanks. ” Photos of burning camps and fleeing families shocked Americans coast to coast.

In November 1932, Franklin Roosevelt beat Hoover in a landslide election, with the Bonus Army disaster playing a big role in Hoover’s defeat.

Four years later, in 1936, Congress finally approved immediate bonus payments under Roosevelt’s administration, giving the veterans what they had marched for all along.

Visiting National Mall, Washington

The National Mall at 1100 Ohio Drive SW is where 20,000 World War I veterans camped in 1932, demanding early payment of their service bonuses during the Great Depression.

Army troops with tanks and tear gas violently removed them in what became known as the Bonus Army March. All monuments here are free to visit.

You can reach the Mall easily from Smithsonian Metro station, and park rangers answer questions from 8am to midnight daily.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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