Fri November 11, 2011 The Bonus Army: How A Protest Led To The
GI BIll Occupy Wall Street protests have sprung up in cities
across the U.S. — and around the world. The common denominator
between them is protesters' commitment to stay and camp out.
They've pitched tents and built large, impromptu communities.
It's a form of protest that echoes throughout American history.
In 1932, another group of protesters set up encampments and
vowed to stay until their voices were heard. The Bonus Army As
World War I drew to a close in 1918, millions of American
veterans returned home to the promise of a cash bonus —
compensation for their overseas service. There was a catch,
though: The money would not be paid out until 1945. Then, the
Great Depression struck. Millions of Americans were left hungry
and homeless. Veterans of the war were desperate for relief. So
in 1932, a group of veterans in Portland, Ore., led by a man
named Walter Waters, decided to go to Washington to lobby for
early payment of their promised bonus. T