The Last Time the U.S. Army Cleared Demonstrators From Pennsylvania AvenueI knew the general idea about the Bonus Army and the troops stomping on them and that being Hoover's death knell. But didn't realize/remember it was Douglas MacArthur doing the head-cracking. Or that he exceeded his orders and smashed both camps in DC.
What was intended as a retirement bonus (payable in 1945) to Great War vets, voted in during boom times (1924), the vets wanted to claim right away after a few years of The Depression made it hard to survive. Hoover decided to label them as troublemakers and commies, even though they were vets just looking to survive. But Hoovervilles just down the road from his WH residence rankled HH.