A Level History - America - Practice Exam

Which event directly damaged Hoover's reputation during the 1932 election?

1. The Wall Street crash

2. The Bonus March

3. The Dust Bowl

4. The implementation of the Smoot-Hawley Act

The correct answer is: The Bonus March

The Bonus March directly damaged Hoover's reputation during the 1932 election because it highlighted the government's failure to provide immediate relief to World War I veterans who were struggling during the Great Depression. The Bonus March was a movement where thousands of veterans gathered in Washington, D.C., to demand the early payment of a bonus that had been promised to them for their service. Hoover's administration responded to the protest by ordering the removal of the veterans from their encampment, which involved the use of military force. This harsh response was widely publicized and significantly swayed public opinion against Hoover, depicting him as unresponsive and unsympathetic to the suffering of ordinary Americans. This event became a symbol of his perceived inability to address the economic crisis and contributed to his declining popularity leading up to the election.