The Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919

Appearing in the midst of the First World War, the influenza virus of 1918-1919 blazed across the globe in a matter of months, leaving in its wake a death toll that would surpass that of the war itself. It appeared suddenly and with explosive impact, and defied all previous understandings of the disease: the illness struck quickly and without warning, felling people in their homes, at work, and in the streets, and unlike previous manifestations of the disease, which tended to take infants and the elderly, this strain primarily struck men and women in the prime of their lives. Especially virulent, it moved quickly through homes, military barracks, cities, and towns, first appearing in the American Midwest and quickly making its way to South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Doctors and other medical professionals were helpless to understand or treat it, and governments were unable to contain or manage it. By the time the virus died out in the fall of 1919, it had taken the lives of up to sixty million people. Like the war, the pandemic shook the foundations of individuals, families, and entire societies around the globe, and its impact would continue to be felt throughout the first half of the twentieth century.