Category: Finance | Title: Who Were the People Hoover Gassed and Removed from Washington DC | Tag: Hoover Protest | Meta Description: Facts about the 1932 Bonus Army eviction in Washington DC, the people involved, and the official response...
Who Were the People Hoover Gassed and Removed from Washington DC
The people Hoover ordered gassed and removed from Washington DC were members of the Bonus Army, a group of World War I veterans and their families who marched to the capital in 1932 to demand early payment of service certificates. The main encampment was located on the Anacostia Flats, and the group included both white and Black veterans who had gathered to pressure Congress into passing the Bonus Bill. The U.S. government under President Herbert Hoover authorized the U.S. Army to clear the camps, leading to a confrontation that became one of the most controversial domestic military actions in American history. Read more about the Bonus Army eviction.
The Bonus Army consisted of roughly 43,000 people, including about 17,000 veterans, their families, and associated camp followers, who had assembled in and around Washington DC during the summer of 1932. Many of the veterans were unemployed and desperate due to the Great Depression, and they demanded that the government pay their service certificates immediately instead of waiting until the scheduled maturity date. The camps were largely orderly, but the Hoover administration viewed them as a security threat and a political embarrassment, especially after some demonstrators clashed with police. Learn more about the Bonus Army at Britannica.
What Happened During the Hoover Eviction of the Bonus Army
Military Forces Involved in the Washington DC Eviction
The U.S. Army units that carried out the eviction were led by General Douglas MacArthur, with Major Dwight D. Eisenhower serving as one of his aides, and included infantry, cavalry, and tanks that advanced on the main Bonus Army camp near the Anacostia River. On July 28, 1932, the military used tear gas and bayonets to drive the veterans from their camps, and the resulting fires destroyed many of the makeshift shelters and belongings the protesters had left behind. The operation was widely covered in newspapers and newsreels, and images of troops advancing against veterans and their families caused public outrage across the country. Forbes coverage of the Bonus Army.
Casualties and Aftermath of the Gassing and Removal
Official reports stated that the military action resulted in injuries to dozens of veterans and civilians, and two babies reportedly died during the chaos, though exact casualty figures remain debated by historians. After the eviction, the remaining Bonus Army members regrouped in other parts of Washington DC and continued to advocate for their cause, while the Hoover administration faced sharp criticism from political opponents and the media. The event became a defining moment in the 1932 presidential election, as Hoover's handling of the crisis was seen as heavy-handed and out of touch with the suffering of ordinary Americans. National Park Service article on the Bonus Army.
Why Hoover Ordered the Gassing and Removal of the Bonus Army
Political and Economic Context Behind the Decision
President Hoover authorized the military removal because he believed the Bonus Army camps represented a threat to public order and federal authority during a period of severe economic crisis, and he feared that the encampments could become a focal point for broader radical movements. The Hoover administration had already rejected multiple congressional attempts to pass the Bonus Bill