Select all the correct answers.
What were two effects of the Bonus Army?
A. It showed that Hoover was the primary reason that the country was in the Great Depression.
B. It showed Hoover’s lack of concern for the veterans, which led to him losing the election.
C. It proved that the government never planned on paying the veterans any type of bonus.
D. It proved Roosevelt’s disrespect for veterans when he sent an army in to forcibly evict them.
E. It showed that Hoover overestimated the threat the veterans posed to National Security.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:
The correct answers are B and C.
Explanation:
The Bonus Army was a group of World War I veterans who marched to Washington, D.C., in 1932 to demand the immediate payment of a bonus that had been promised to them for their service. Originally scheduled to be paid in 1945, the economic turmoil of the Great Depression led many veterans to advocate for early payment. The movement garnered significant public support but was met with resistance from President Herbert Hoover’s administration.
B. It showed Hoover’s lack of concern for the veterans, which led to him losing the election. This statement reflects a critical outcome of the Bonus Army incident. Hoover’s decision to use force to disperse the veterans—who had set up a large camp in Washington—was viewed as an act of insensitivity and indifference towards the hardships faced by veterans and the general population during the Great Depression. The violent confrontation, where troops used bayonets and tear gas against the unarmed veterans and their families, tarnished Hoover’s reputation and contributed to his unpopularity. This lack of empathy was a significant factor in his loss to Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1932 presidential election.
C. It proved that the government never planned on paying the veterans any type of bonus. The Bonus Army’s march revealed the federal government’s unwillingness to honor its commitments to veterans. Despite the veterans’ justified demands, the government, particularly under Hoover, made no plans to pay the bonuses ahead of schedule, highlighting a broader issue of governmental neglect and failure to address the economic struggles of citizens during the Great Depression.
While options A, D, and E may present certain interpretations of events, they do not accurately capture the primary consequences and societal implications stemming from the Bonus Army’s actions and the government’s response.