In 1924 WWI vets had been given a bonus to compensate them for wages lost during the war, but it wasn't payable until 1945. During the Great Depression, many of these veterans decided they couldn't wait. In 1932, a spontaneous pilgrimage of vets converged on Washington. The Bonus Army lobbied unsuccessfully, and ultimately were ruthlessly expelled at bayonet point by U.S. army troops backed up by cavalry, tanks, and tear gas
