the bonus army marched on washington in the summer of 1932.
when did the bonus army march on washington?
summer of 1932
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another major demonstration on the avenue led to tragedy. in june 1932, thousands of homeless world war i veterans, their families, and their supporters occupied the recently condemned assemblage of buildings at the federal triangle construction site between 6th and 9th streets nw as part of the bonus march on the capital to win better veterans' benefits. when the "bonus army" was granted the right to march down pennsylvania avenue, it transformed the protestors in the eyes of most americans from rabble-rousers to patriots seeking fairness. on july 28, 1932, president herbert hoover ordered general douglas macarthur to remove the bonus army from the site. at 4:45 p.m., macarthur led a battalion of infantry, a squadron of cavalry, and six battle tanks (commanded by major george s. patton) down pennsylvania avenue to remove the bonus army. more than 20,000 civil service workers (leaving their offices for the day) watched as the u.s. army attacked its own veterans. a bonus marcher was killed on the site of the apex building, and the federal triangle site was cleared of the bonus army.
pennsylvania avenue national historic site