Effects of the Flu on the Great War of 1914-18
Some newspapers reported the disease was having a great impact on the war by infecting the Central Powers’ armies, in an attempt to raise morale. There were five articles in the Irish Times on this story; the health of American and British troops was reported as generally healthy. This was woefully inaccurate as the disease affected both sides in the war equally (Marsh, 2008).
The flu had a significant
impact on both sides in the conflict of 1914-18 in Europe. The Chancellor
Prince Max of Baden was delighted by reports of a new influenza among the
Allied forces; however, the German supply lines were soon affected by the
virus. It also had a detrimental effect on the fighting ability of his troops.
The prince himself spent two weeks in bed with the flu (Crosby, 2003).
For American troops it was a similar story. The chief disembarkation point for US troops at Brest had a major outbreak, a medical officer reporting “epidemic of acute infection, fever, origin unknown”. The first wave in April 1918 was milder than what was to come and was referred openly as ‘three day fever’ by the troops. However, in June the American Expeditionary Force was reporting high sickness rates; 80 to 90 %of fighting men incapacitated. The German offensive of May 1918 had nearly reached Paris when it seems General Ludendorff’s divisions became exhausted and he complained about chiefs warnings of their weakness due to the flu (Honigsbaum, 2009). Ferguson (2006) argues that the flu was a key factor in Germany’s surrender and the Armistice. In Ireland there was a strong association between soldiers and the disease, soldiers returning from the front became subjects of fear rather than protectors of the little nations of Europe, some were so shunned that people threw stones to keep them at a distance, for fear of infection (Foley, 2011). |