a) Early cash redemption of service certificates

The Bonus Army, a group of World War I veterans, gathered in Washington D.C. in 1932 to demand early cash redemption of their service certificates. These certificates, issued to veterans as a bonus for their service, were not scheduled to be paid until 1945. The veterans, hit hard by the Great Depression, sought immediate payment to alleviate their economic hardships. The government’s harsh response to the peaceful protestors, including the use of military force to disperse them, led to widespread criticism and highlighted the struggles faced by veterans during the Depression era.