The Spanish Influenza pandemic of 1918 is often regarded as the ‘forgotten pandemic’, due to the lack of coverage and public interest in Western culture in the decades following. Since the late 1990’s, however, following the discovery and sequencing of the virus responsible, the pandemic has experienced a revival in both historic and scientific circles. Several books have been written within the past two decades regarding the flu’s history and effects, and with more on the way. With the H1N1 pandemic of 2009 and a newfound fear of disease, the Spanish Influenza has penetrated American culture in novels, TV shows, and movies. The books that I have focused on are more broad in scope, focusing on the larger impacts and greater significance of the tragedy. In order to answer how the Spanish Influenza pandemic and World War One influenced one another, I have focused most on books with a historical focus on the west, rather than scientific. The exponential growth of Spanish Influenza in popular media is an interesting phenomenon. A handful of authors more recently have contributed to a plethora of Spanish Influenza books, but very few books were written on the subject during the 20th century. In general, the only historical literature on the subject before 1990 are scholarly theses that focus on specific countries, with little involving the Great War. For example, scholar KD Patterson wrote on the flu’s dispersion in Sub Saharan Africa as well as the epidemic on the gold coast, Ian Phimister discusses the impacts on the Southern Rhodesian mining industry, and Geoffrey W. Rice on mortality rates in Japan. In general, however, very few books were written, and very little of anything was written regarding western countries, and nothing was written on the war’s connection. Furthermore, virtually nothing was written targeted toward the general public, except for one.
Before the boom in interest on the flu came a stand alone book that set forth a trend, Alfred Crosby’s influential book America’s Forgotten Pandemic. It was originally written in 1976 under a different title, but was reissued in 1989 and has since been a staple of research. Despite it being before the discovery of the virus and other modern research, Crosby has valuable insight in several aspects of the pandemic. In specific, his literature addresses theories as to why the influenza has been forgotten by American society; In fact, he was the first to refer to it as a ‘forgotten pandemic’.
Many decades later is where the bulk of my research has come from. One of the earliest books is Lynette Iezzoni’s Influenza 1918, published in 2000. It traces the eruption of the virus in multiple parts of the world almost simultaneously, however it has minimal discussion of the biological impacts. Although not regarded as one of the more influential books written on the topic, Iezonni’s story ‘got the ball rolling’. Following a year later is Gina Kolata’s book Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused it. A great retelling of the pandemic, Kolata has gone on to give many talks on the flu. The book not only covers the outbreak, but the aftermath, the discovery of the virus, and the possibility of the future. This is one book that has proven vital to my research. Another vital book is David Killingray’s The Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919, published in 2003. Although hard to get ahold of, this large book is cited by many, and includes a 50 page bibliography itself. The reason for its immense research is the number of areas the book covers. From historiography to virology to politics, this book is the encyclopedia of all things Spanish Influenza.
Of the more recent books, Carol R. Byerly’s Fever of War; The Influenza Epidemic in the U.S. Army During World War 1, was the first to write a book about the pandemic with a focus specific to the war. Covering influenza in camps, its spread, and its effect on the war, this is another book that covers topics pertinent to my research. Unfortunately, predictably from the title, it only focuses on the American troops. John M. Barry’s book, The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History of 2006 is perhaps one of my favorites. It received the most public attention of any of these books, and it was even a New York Times bestseller. It was the book that brought the “Great Influenza” back into the minds of the American public. It is not only an insightful compilation but an informative one. The weaving of personal narratives, survivor’s quotes, and many anecdotes, creates an interesting read for even those not interested in the topic. Although less focused on the war, Barry discusses the Paris Peace Conference after the war. Nancy Bristow’s American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic, written in 2012, is very much the same in style. It compiles primary sources to tell a narrative, with the people at the heart of the pandemic as the focus. Although less influential than Barry’s book, American Pandemic is an equally well curated assemblage of sources.
In the past twenty years, the interest in writing about the Spanish Flu has grown more and more by year. Starting with Alfred Crosby’s book in 1976, we are now at the point where there are several books on the topic coming out within a few years. This year being the centennial anniversary of the event, many authors have taken the opportunity to reflect on the tragedy. This year has caused a renewed trend in writing on the subject. Most recently, in 2017, was Laura Spinney’s Pale Rider: The Spanish Flu of 1918 and How it Changed the World, which is actually the book that reignited my interest in the Spanish Flu. It covers the pandemic on a truly global scale, telling stories from urban South America to rural China. It is a fantastic read to learn more about the pandemic outside of America. Currently, there are several more books coming out this 2018 to mark the anniversary.
As the Spanish Influenza grows in interest and more perspectives are gained, the closer we will get to finding answers. However, despite the immense public curiosity in the subject, very few books have been written specifically on the War in connection to the Flu. The two events are known to be closely linked, and yet there is a deficit of literature arguing so. What is needed in the field is more analysis of the impacts of the flu on the Great War, and vice versa. Although some of the books mentioned here include a single chapter on the connection, there is so much more on the subject of the Great War and the Spanish Flu to study further.
Works Referenced:
Barry, John M. The Great Influenza: The Epic Story of the Deadliest Plague in History. New York: Viking, 2004.
Bristow, Nancy. American Pandemic: The Lost Worlds of the 1918 Influenza Epidemic.
Byerly, Carol R. Fever of War: The Influenza Epidemic in the U.S. Army during World War I. New York: New York UP, 2005.
Crosby, Alfred. America’s Forgotten Pandemic.
Iezonni, Lynette. Influenza 1918,
Killingray, David. The Spanish Influenza Pandemic of 1918-1919
Kolata, Gina. Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus that Caused it
Spinney, Laura. Pale rider: the Spanish flu of 1918. New York: Public Affairs, 2017.