March of the Bonus Army

In 1918, millions of American WWI veterans returned home to the promise of a cash bonus — compensation for their service overseas. However, there was a catch: they would not receive the money until 1945.

Veterans found themselves in an even deeper hole when the Great Depression struck. Millions of Americans were left hungry, homeless, and desperate for help. So, in 1932, a group of veterans in Portland, Oregon decided to go to Washington, D.C. to lobby for early payment of their promised bonus.

They called themselves the "Bonus Army."