Was there a tent city massacre when Herbert Hoover was President?

Answer 1

Yes there was. I once seen a fim of the massacre ordered by Hoover. I am looking for the Archive film.

___

In 1932 military Veterans and their families marched on Washington in what became known as the Bonus Protests. They wanted Congress to pass the Bonus Bill which would pay the Vets an adjusted compensation for their service. The Vets were desperate to get the money because the Depression threw many of them out of work and their homes. They didn't want to wait another 12 years before getting money.

Veterans up to the rank of major with at least 60 days service each received a dollar for each day of domestic service up to $500 and $1.25 for each day of overseas service up to $625. The bond that each received in 1924 (in lieu of cash) would accumulate compound interest, resulting in an average payment of about $1,000 for each veteran in 1945.

In June of '32 approx 10,000 arrived in Washington while the Bill was being discussed with more arriving all the time. The government, and Army Chief of Staff McArthur worried the protesters were communists, although most were very anti-communist.

So 4 cavalry troops, led by McArthur hit the streets on July 28 and began driving the families out of Washington, setting fire to their makeshift homes - the tents they had put up. 100's were injured and a baby was killed in the "massacre". Some reports say 1 Vet was killed as well.

This event is called the Tent City Massacre, although it wasn't a massacre. Watch the video, it has footage of the tents being burned down and the troops moving through the streets.