8. The Role of the U.S. Military
The U.S. military played a central role in enforcing the removals, often using overwhelming force to gather Native communities. Soldiers rounded up families at gunpoint, herding them into cramped, unsanitary stockades before the marches began. According to the U.S. Army Center of Military History, the military’s presence was both constant and intimidating, ensuring compliance but intensifying trauma. This militarized process stripped Native people of autonomy and dignity, compounding the sense of betrayal and fear.
