The Bonus Army was a group of World War I veterans who assembled in Washington, D.C., in 1932 to demand immediate cash payments of bonuses that had been promised to them by the government for their military service. The U.S. government had awarded these bonuses in 1924, but the payment was not scheduled until 1945. Amid the backdrop of the Great Depression, many veterans were struggling with unemployment and poverty, prompting them to seek urgent support from the federal government. When the veterans began to gather in the nation’s capital, they pitched tents and set up makeshift camps, with thousands demonstrating for their cause. Their presence gained national attention and sparked debates about veterans' rights and government responsibility.The assembly reflected the broader discontent during the economic crisis, and the veterans utilized peaceful marches and protests to voice their demands. Notable figures in the Bonus Army included Walter W. Waters, a former sergeant who became a leader of the movement, and several other veterans who sought to advocate for their peers. Their situation was made more contentious by the refusal of the government to meet their demands. Despite public sympathy, the Herbert Hoover administration viewed the Bonus Army as a threat to public order.The climax of the conflict came when President Hoover ordered the Army to forcibly remove veterans from their encampments. On July 28, the Bonus Army was cleared by General Douglas MacArthur and his troops, which led to violent clashes and significant media coverage of the events. This heavy-handed response ultimately turned public opinion against Hoover and had lasting implications for the treatment of veterans and government policies regarding military service members in crisis.