A bonus certificate "to be paid sometime in the future."
In 1932 veterans of the first world war marched on Washington in large numbers, 10,000 encamped with that many on the way, to protest a delay for payment they were promised. They were hurting from the depression, they needed the money now and time for them was running out. They came to demand from Congress the promise be fulfilled before they died. President Hoover was president at the time, left to deal with the mob after Senate refused their demand, ended their session and exited the building by backdoors and by using their wily Congressional tunnels to avoid confrontation and cut out of town.
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What scared everybody was that something like this was how Mussolini seized power.
To a broad degree we've been pacified already. The neoliberal oligarchy needs us to have our illusion of freedom to continue to use us as feeder rats for the rest of the world as it comes online.
Not that I think that's the end. I think in 30 or so years, we'll recover our our gung ho spirit and have our own exports, not the least of which will be food.
The "Bonus Army" story is the opening chapter in William Manchester's highly readable narrative "The Glory And The Dream" which covers American history from 1932 to roughly 1972.
Note that both Patton and MacArthur suffered later for their hubris.
Its a little more complicated than "Government attacks Vets wanting food".
You can't have a bunch of people camping illegally on Gov't property, ignoring one request after another to leave. At some point, you have to move them out, with force if necessary. Just like if they camped on your lawn.
Unless they're illegal aliens, in which case its OK. Because... "racism".
The whole thing was really a set up by the Left to make Hoover look bad - and they succeeded.
Even then they were playing by Alinsky rules. (No, not literally).
The thing that got me was WWI is the first where chemical weaponry was used. "Just like in France." Or whatever the line was, but now this time from their own government. No matter what followed in WWII, I'm amazed that is was possible for Eisenhower to even elected after this.
No matter what followed in WWII, I'm amazed that is was possible for Eisenhower to even elected after this.
Well, it wasn't like it was the last thing Ike did in the army. Plus his election in 1952 followed 20 years of Democrat hegemony.
Eisenhower was just an aide and advised AGAINST attacking the vets.
MacArthur is the one who got blamed and it was probably responsible - along with Mac's anti-communist speeches - for the leftwing/liberal hate that came MacA's way in the 30s and 40s.
Ike was amazingly frank on and off the record about what to do about communism in the US. Despite his stodgy image (which JFK supposedly overturned), he really struck me as thoughtful and pragmatic.
After 20 years, the Dems deserved to be booted on corruption and stagnation alone.
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