When MacArthur used tear gas and bayonets against WWI veterans begging for their bonus pay

The 1932 Bonus Army Eviction from the Lincoln Memorial

World War I veterans came to Washington D.C. in spring 1932 to ask for early payment of service bonuses. Congress had promised them about $1,000 each in 1924, but they couldn’t collect until 1945.

The Great Depression had left 25% of Americans jobless. Around 20,000 desperate veterans and their families built camps throughout the capital, mainly at Anacostia Flats across from the Capitol.

They called themselves the “Bonus Expeditionary Force.” For weeks they peacefully supported the Patman Bill, which would give them their bonus money right away instead of making them wait.

Police Eviction Leads to Fatal Confrontation

On July 28, Police Chief Pelham Glassford was told to remove veterans from old buildings along Pennsylvania Avenue. Glassford had helped these men before, even giving them food and supplies.

When police approached the buildings that morning, about 50 veterans fought back by throwing bricks at officers. One policeman, George Shinault, got cornered during the fight and fired his gun into the crowd.

Two veterans were shot. William Hushka, a 37-year-old Lithuanian immigrant who became a citizen when joining the Army, died at the scene. Eric Carlson, a 38-year-old who had fought in the trenches of France, died days later.

Hoover Calls in the Army

President Hoover saw the clash between police and veterans as dangerous. City officials asked for help, saying police couldn’t handle the growing unrest. Hoover told Secretary of War Patrick Hurley to send in troops.

Army Chief of Staff General Douglas MacArthur got orders to break up the protests. MacArthur thought the Bonus Army was dangerous. He believed rumors that communists had joined the veterans, though later studies showed over 90% were actual veterans.

Instead of directing from headquarters as generals usually do, MacArthur decided to lead the operation himself. His aide, Major Dwight Eisenhower, warned against this but MacArthur ignored him.

Military Forces Assemble on the Ellipse

Troops gathered at the Ellipse, a park south of the White House, at 4:00 PM on July 28. They prepared weapons and equipment as onlookers watched. About 600 soldiers from the 12th Infantry Regiment formed the main force.

Major George Patton, later famous as a World War II general, led 200 soldiers on horseback from the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. Five tanks from World War I lined up behind the infantry.

These machines were excessive force against unarmed civilians. Another 2,700 troops waited nearby as backup in case the first group needed help. The military was ready for a major confrontation in the nation’s capital.

The March Down Pennsylvania Avenue

At 4:45 PM, soldiers began moving down Pennsylvania Avenue toward the Capitol. Cavalry led the way with infantry marching behind them. Government workers leaving their offices stopped to watch soldiers march through downtown.

Many stood silently as troops moved in battle formation. Veterans cheered at first, thinking it was a parade in their honor. Their cheers quickly turned to shock when Patton ordered his cavalry to charge.

Horses rushed forward into crowds that moments before had been cheering. Infantry troops fixed bayonets to their rifles and put on gas masks, preparing to attack men who once wore the same uniform.

Tear Gas and Bayonets Against Veterans

Soldiers threw canisters of tear gas into crowds of veterans and families. The yellow-green gas made people cough, vomit, and struggle to breathe. Men who had survived German gas attacks in World War I now faced similar weapons from fellow Americans.

Veterans stumbled through gas-filled streets while trying to protect their wives and children. Cavalry troops hit fleeing veterans with the flat sides of their swords. Those who moved too slowly faced bayonets urging them to move faster.

Though troops didn’t fire their weapons, many people were hurt by gas, cavalry charges, and clubbing. Reports later claimed an infant died from tear gas exposure.

MacArthur Defies Presidential Orders

Veterans retreated across the Anacostia River to their main camp. President Hoover, worried about public reaction, ordered the military to stop. Secretary of War Hurley twice sent clear orders to MacArthur not to cross the bridge to Anacostia Flats. These written commands expressed the president’s wishes.

MacArthur refused to read these orders, saying he was “too busy” for messengers “pretending to bring orders” from the White House. This was a rare case of a general directly disobeying the president.

General Moseley personally brought the president’s instructions, but MacArthur wouldn’t see him. Despite these orders, MacArthur told troops to cross the bridge and attack the main camp where thousands of families had taken shelter.

The Burning of Anacostia Flats

At 9:00 PM, MacArthur sent troops to Anacostia Flats where 10,000 people lived in a makeshift camp. Many veterans had brought their whole families to Washington. Soldiers blocked all bridges while engineers raised the 11th Street drawbridge, trapping everyone inside.

National Guard units shined bright lights on the dark camp. Troops methodically threw tear gas grenades into tents and shacks. Families grabbed what few belongings they could as panic spread. Soldiers then set fire to the structures with torches.

The wooden shanties, tents, and cardboard shelters quickly caught fire. Flames soon covered the entire camp, creating a massive blaze visible across Washington with the Capitol dome in the background.

MacArthur’s Midnight Press Conference

At 11:00 PM, while fires still burned at Anacostia Flats, MacArthur called reporters for an unplanned press conference. President Hoover had gone to bed, unaware his general was speaking to the press.

MacArthur claimed the Bonus Army planned to overthrow the government. He told reporters the veterans “had come to the conclusion that they were going to take over the government.”

Without proof, he said only 10% of those evicted were real veterans. Later evidence showed over 90% had military service records. MacArthur called the protesters “Communists and criminals” to discredit them.

He claimed that waiting even one day would have led to “a grave situation” requiring much more force.

Human Cost of the Operation

Two veterans died from police gunfire during the first clash. William Hushka and Eric Carlson became symbols of the government’s harsh response to veteran demands. Over 50 veterans suffered injuries from tear gas, cavalry charges, and beatings.

Many needed hospital care for gas exposure, broken bones, and cuts. Several police officers and soldiers were also hurt, mainly from thrown bricks and physical struggles. Military reports highlighted these injuries to justify their strong response.

Hushka received full military honors at his Arlington Cemetery burial on August 2, 1932. Fifty cars of veterans followed his body to the grave. Carlson, who lived five days with his injuries, was also buried at Arlington with military honors.

Media Response and Public Reaction

Newspapers across America ran dramatic headlines about the military attack on veterans. The Washington Post’s front page on July 29 read: “ONE SLAIN, 60 HURT AS TROOPS ROUT B.E.F. WITH GAS BOMBS AND FLAMES.”

Movie theaters showed footage of tanks, bayonets, and cavalry driving unarmed veterans away. Many audiences booed when these images appeared. The Washington Daily News called it “a pitiful spectacle, the mightiest government in the world chasing unarmed men, women, and children with Army tanks.”

Most major newspapers took sides based on politics. Of 30 major papers, 21 supported the government while 9 condemned it. The Chicago Herald and Examiner called Hoover’s actions “sheer stupidity” without “parallel in American annals.”

Visiting Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial, at the west end of the National Mall in Washington DC, has links to the 1932 Bonus Army events.

The National Museum of American History on the Mall has exhibits about the Great Depression era and social protests. Visit the lower level of the Lincoln Memorial for museum exhibits.

Walk to Anacostia Park (formerly Anacostia Flats) where the main veteran camp stood. The National Archives has photos and documents about the Bonus Army, with online exhibits available through Histories of the National Mall.

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