The GI bill, also known as the Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, can be objectively regarded as a successful legislative notion for a nation in post-war conditions. The Bill aimed to provide economic and financial aid to soldiers returning from the war in 1945. Its success is generally explained by the profound impact on the lives of over 12 million veterans. The benefits it offered included pensions, grants, funds for education and professional training, as well as the opportunity to get loans for similar purposes. Furthermore, the Bill received approval from both Democratic and Republican political parties, as evident from the statements made by their representatives.
President Clinton, a member of the Democratic party, noted it “helped to unleash a prosperity never before known,” while a former Republican congressman referred to it as a “great piece of legislation” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.3). In this way, it is essential to review the specific means by which the Bill impacted millions of lives and became one of the most successful in American history.
One of the most meaningful projects was the educational opportunities for veterans in the 1950s. About 7.8 million people were able to receive graduate and college education, as well as training benefits. The president at the time, Franklin D. Roosevelt, believed that young soldiers (up to 19 years of age) had the right to “resume their schooling” upon return from war (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.41).
These 1-4 year courses enabled veterans to continue their education and enter a new academic institution without major concerns about its costs. In that way, more people were able to resume living everyday lives and eventually became financially stable; the plan was to be seen as an expectant move towards compensating over the war’s losses rather than a way to separate veterans from other citizens (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.43).
On the other hand, accomplished students were rewarded with grants and extra payments, promoting proper education. Suzanne Mettler’s survey indicated that over 50 percent of veterans whose education was funded by the GI Bill would not have attended college without the initiative. Furthermore, around 75 percent would have attended part-time, and not all “…would have completed degrees without it” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.107). Hence, Bill’s success can be demonstrated by the number of people directly impacted: millions of students were able to study to ensure a stable future for themselves.
Unemployment benefits were also effectively integrated to improve veterans’ lives further and contribute to the GI Bill’s overall success. In order to improve the country’s economic state and aid millions of people returning from war, the GI Bill proposed a 3-month prepaid leave for employees, and federal unemployment compensation, with every veteran receiving over $20 per week while job searching.
Roosevelt considered this plan to be a “successful transition of millions of veterans from military service to civilian work” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.71). The project’s founders understood the inevitable toll the country’s economy would take, yet it proved to be effective anyway, as more than 8.3 million veterans were paid “readjustment allowances” to readapt. As a result, a quarter of the people who returned from the Second World War used this opportunity to find beneficial employment and slowly integrate back into society; many were able to upgrade to middle-class status.
Additionally, a structured system of loans offers funded veterans’ investments regarding homes, businesses, and farms. At least “78 percent of the veteran cohort” took out loans for the mentioned purposes (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.8). The bill founders also found it necessary to improve the system in 1945 by raising the loan values from $2000 to $4000 and leaving the offer for up to a decade; this change led to higher rates of loan-taking and made the project far more valuable for veterans. Almost 7 percent of World War II veterans were able to purchase their own homes through GI loans. The loans offered were also successfully used by those who did not originally plan to receive higher education and instead focused on their own businesses.
The GI Bill offered medical assistance by funding medical facilities and projects to build new ones. The program helped World War II veterans with disabilities seek medical aid to ensure it was indeed provided, as, before that, not all patients had been treated appropriately. Without directly providing medical care, the Bill confirmed more straightforward ways to receive it from professional establishments. Over $500 million were utilized to build hospitals and purchase the necessary medical equipment. Although medical assistance was one of the minor measures of the Bill, it also proved to be beneficial for veterans with disabilities and limited access to proper medical care.
The success of the original GI Bill led to other similar laws being developed to aid American veterans. These included the Korean GI Bill, Vietnam GI Bill, and many others, which branched into non-veteran funding laws (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, editor’s note). The project turned into “… one of the largest and most comprehensive government initiatives…in the United States” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, editor’s note). When asked about its impact on their lives, many veterans noted that “The GI Bill changed my life” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, editor’s note). The first GI Bill was not an idea of one person; in fact, it was the result of legislators’ and bureaucrats’ collective efforts, which explains its complex organization and valuable results.
However, while reviewing the Bill, it is just as important to analyze the complications it includes. For instance, not all veterans found it practical: statistics suggest that almost a quarter of the target population did not benefit directly from the program. The main reason for this response was the fact that many of these veterans preferred to readjust to postwar life independently. Moreover, not all those who required Bill’s aid were given the necessary resources.
The initial loan system did not guarantee every citizen enough financial security to purchase houses of their own. This information was gathered through various surveys in the 1950s and shared by veterans themselves. Either building or buying a house in most cities came to a cost “far more than the amount covered by the government guarantee” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.74). In this way, the former soldiers were given no other options but to construct buildings that were both unsafe to live in and did not warrant a debtless lifestyle. Furthermore, cases of failing businesses were reported, as 52 percent were considered unsuccessful in two years; once again, such instances discredited the law.
Another point of criticism towards the GI Bill came from organizations that suggested certain amendments to its structure. The Gold Star Wives group requested higher pensions, better educational support, and a good training experience in 1947. In response to the propositions, the organization members were told “…that is too late…numbers still matter.” (p.140), suggesting the legislation’s inability to compensate for significant veteran families’ losses. In academic institutions, authoritative figures voiced their dissatisfaction with the reforms as they “threaten to demoralize education and defraud veterans” (Altschuler and Blumin, 2009, p.76). The idea that education could be devalued because of higher acceptance rates for most veterans became the main point of criticism in the educational field.
Still, considering all of the mentioned disadvantages of the GI Bill, it cannot be described as a failure. The criteria to determine its impact on the postwar population include the number of people who directly benefited from its programs, its influence on the country’s economic state, and the consecutive development of similar legislation. Over 78 percent of the former soldiers were assisted through educational opportunities, loan systems, and pensions.
As the initial loan of $2000 proved insufficient, the sum was then increased to $4000, helping families readapt to normal lives, start small businesses, or invest in houses. Since then, many have noted Bill’s direct and consequential impact on millions of lives. Its funding projects aided thousands of younger veterans in pursuing higher education and providing equal opportunities for lower, middle, and upper classes.
By using the GI Bill, many administrative areas would be improved to raise the living standards for most citizens related to veterans, as well as the veterans themselves. The regulations would provide the necessary resources to attend university and start a career outside of military-related fields. Certain modifications to the Bill would be needed to ensure a higher probability of citizens returning to normal lives.
For instance, as proposed by members of the Gold Star Wives organization, higher pensions received by widows and children would encourage them to receive the appropriate training or education, which is crucial in modern society. Hospital construction and up-to-date equipment sponsored by the program would directly benefit veterans with disabilities and their family members. Furthermore, the GI Bill would inevitably influence other laws in terms of forming funds for less privileged groups and minorities. In that way, the GI Bill’s evident beneficial impact on the population doubtlessly marks its success.