After World War I veterans struggled as they returned to
civilian life. Congress passed the Bonus Act of 1924 but stated that the bonus
would not be paid until 1945. By 1932, frustrated veterans were really
suffering during the Great Depression and 20,000 vets marched on the capitol in
Washington, D.C. demanding their bonus money now. President Herbert Hoover
called up the Army to break up the crowds. It was a mess.
To avoid similar problems at the end of World War II
President Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Congress passed the G.I. Bill. Veterans
could continue their education in college or vocational school, and almost 49
percent of college admissions in 1947 were veterans. The bill also provided a
weekly unemployment benefit for up to one year, and guaranteed loans for
veterans who wanted to buy a home, business or farm. Medical care for veterans
was also included, and new hospitals were established for veterans. By 1956,
almost 10 million veterans had received some form of benefit from the G.I.
Bill.
Many veterans attended N.C. State University in Raleigh
after the war, and housing was a problem. These are pictures from what was
informally referred to as “Vetville,” housing set up for veterans and their
families. These photographs are from Special Collections Research Center at
NCSU Libraries. The woman working in the Vetville grocery co-op is identified
as the wife of a veteran.
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