WWI & 1918 Flu Pandemic Discussion Thread

3/20/2020

I would like to use this DISCUSSION POST to satisfy a few purposes.
1) Have a WWI question? post it and lets see who can get to the answer first!

2) Want to share answers regarding the CAUSE and EFFECTS page and/or Pandemic questions? Do it here.

3) Write a DBQ for the 2015 Responses to the Flu Pandemic prompt. It would be awesome if we all took this challenge and posted an essay by Sunday morning.

4) Deep Thoughts:

a) find a piece of political propaganda (any era) and see if you we can determine its intended audience and purpose? This could be fun, right? Can you stump Sherer?

b) Movie Thoughts: Did you watch All Quiet on the Western Front? What were your thoughts? What was the author's purpose / POV?

c) anything else that you find relevant.

18 Comments

hannah

3/22/2020 01:31:13 pm

Most major human infectious diseases originate from the birth of agriculture, and therefore, the beginning of the use of domesticated animals. With Neolithic communities came large dense human populations and close contact between livestock and people. These time periods have hosted epidemics such as the Great Dying, when Eurasian diseases were brought to the America’s, where Natives had a lack of domesticated animals, and therefore a lack of immunity. Therefore, the influenza pandemic of 1918-1919, killing more people than the war it occurred in the midst of, is a continuity of human history. In the early twentieth century, responses to influenza in North America, Latin America, South Asia and Africa included giving aid, anger towards the government because of their ignorance, and the belief that it was caused by a god.
One response to the spread of influenza in the early twentieth century was efforts to give aid to the sick. In the midst of the pandemic and war, army bases experienced a great increase in their number of doctors, sometimes ten times more (Doc 1). As the pandemic occurred during the Great War, millions of people of the age most susceptible to influenza were jammed together in military camps, most of which had weakened immune systems, increasing the need for medical aid. Despite long hours and hard work, many people volunteered in the United States to help nurse sick soldiers back to health (Doc 2). Even families in New Zealand would send their children with food for the ill (Doc 7). Since at least the turn of the twentieth century, Catholic Church has been the largest religious organization in the United States, and being a British Colony, New Zealand was a majority Christian. Catholicism heavily encourages charity and aid to the less fortunate because of their belief in the necessity of good deeds to go to heaven.
A different response to influenza was the belief that it was caused by a god. Hindus of India believed that the epidemic was a visitation of a Hindu god (Doc 4). This document was a report from the Sanitary Commissioner’s report in British Colonial India, which calls the Indian people’s belief in the coming of a Hindu god “superstitious” and therefore excessively credulous. This can be attributed to the fact that, as a British Sanitary commissioner the author’s job is made harder by those who refuse medical treatment. Some Christians believed that God sent the epidemic into the world for the good of the world (Doc 5). Being a Christian news source believing in an omnipotent God, the Christian Science Monitor expresses that the churches should be more filled than ever, and that it is unavailing to believe that God sent influenza into the world. Because it was a widespread news organization, the Christian Science Organization was likely trying to keep the masses calm, insisting that God is more powerful than the disease. People of East Africa believed that the flu was sent into the world by a god to wipe the Earth of humanity (Doc 8). According to the map, there was an influenza outbreak in Dar es Salaam, British East Africa, a major city and commercial port on the Indian Ocean coast within the Swahili civilization. The Swahili civilization of East Africa grew as a result of western Indian Ocean Commerce following the rise of Islam, as it became a blend of Bantu and Islamic elements. Within the Indian Ocean world, Arab, Indian, and Persian merchants were welcome visitors in East Africa and some settled permanently, giving this region a syncretic culture believing in one God.
Many people responded to influenza with anger towards the government because of its ignorance. Some of the sick were turned out to the street and died from insufficient treatment (Doc 3). This points to the lack of government action in British Colonial West Africa. The British colonial government watches as the sick were turned out onto the streets and deserted by other residents, suffering from a lack of care. Both the people of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and British Samoa were surprised and blamed the government for their lack of action, failing to keep ships containing the disease out of their homes (Doc 6 and 9). The New Zealand passenger and cargo ship Talune contained people suffering from influenza. Although the Talune had been quarantined in other territories such as Fiji and American Samoa. No such restrictions were imposed in Samoa, allowing sick passengers were to disembark. The author of this account was an American resident of British Samoa, who indignantly describes how influenza was kept out of American Samoa, while British Samoa experienced atrocious, widespread deaths. The fact that the author is an American in British Samoa explains why he is angered that the island protected by his nationality is not in the same circumstance as the island he calls home.

Camile

3/22/2020 09:45:43 pm

The human body is known to survive in the harshest conditions. It can survive up to 15 seconds hanging, it can fix broken bones, and up to 6 hours of internal bleeding. And by adapting to its environment, the human body can survive the dropping temperatures of winter, the raising temperatures of summer, and a bullet to the chest. But unfortunately, the human body can be extremely vulnerable to new enemies like disease. Diseases can come from animals and even bugs and can be transmitted to humans. And by humans domesticating animals along with urbanization during the Neolithic Period, diseases began to spread like wildfire across countries as humans began to move around. From merchants trading in Europe and China, to discovering the Americas, diseases moved around and evolved like humans. Diseases like The Bubonic Plague in Europe that wiped around ⅓ of the population and Malaria with Smallpox from The Great Dying in the Americas that killed around 90% of the Native population devastated the world. And even with new technology and communication across the world, humans can’t always prevent this predictable enemy.
In the early twentieth century, the Americas along with AfroAsia responded to the spreading of influenza, or the Spanish Flu, by increasing volunteering for the sick, believing that a God is behind the deadly disease, and anger towards the government for not taking the pandemic seriously.
During the devastating spread, dozens of people volunteered to help the newly sick. From a couple of dozen original doctors to a couple hundred doctors, the number of volunteers increased daily (Doc.1). To try and prevent the increasing number of deaths, people were ordered to continue to work even with the smell of death looming around. A medical doctor who worked in a U.S army base sent a letter to a friend describing what he witnessed daily. The purpose of the letter was to give an in-depth view of the horrors that lingered around him as well as his work. The tone is then monotone in order to illustrate the horrors he would see which took all his colors away(Doc.1). And with the asking of volunteers, people with different backgrounds were even welcomed(Doc.2). With WW1 still in memory, nationalism was something that the very own country promoted, making it hard for people from different backgrounds to get along. Lutiant van Wert, a Native American female volunteer wrote a letter to a friend describing her experiences as a volunteer. Her purpose was to describe how every type of help was needed for every hour of the day. This affects the reliability because it’s a primary source by a person of minority who witnessed the effects of the disease first hand. Even without directly involving with a hospital, many citizens were able to provide help for the sick from their own home (Doc.7). Without trying to contact the sick, many were known to give essential resources like food and blankets to those who needed it the most. From neighbors to friends, many did what they could even if it was small.

With the Spanish Flu taking countless lives everyday, many of the spectators began to question if someone beyond human control was behind these mass killings. With the Spanish flu reaching nations like British India, many believed that a Goddess was sending a message(Doc.4). A Sanitary Commissioner writes a report on Hindus in British India with the purpose of showing the world on how they respond to the disease. The tone is then profound making it a serious and straightforward response which gives off the idea that this isn’t the right path since the author as a Sanitary Commissioner knows what procedures need to be taken. Some Christians saw it as a cause of God and no action should be taken(Doc.5). Since some Christians believe that their almighty savior could do no wrong, they sometimes believe that by just praying or believing in God they could survive this horror. Those Christians are accidentally spreading the disease by not following safety procedures and even risking their own lives. Others see it as a punishment from God himself(Doc.8). Since places like Europe and East Africa have a large population of Christianity, the belief of God existing is not unusual. And as the number of deaths increased daily, people began to see it as a punishment and maybe even a response from God to the violence/disruption of WWI.
But even with this disease spreading across multiple nations, affecting their population, many governments made little to no effort to prevent this disease. In some nations, governments did not pay attention to the effects or took action, enraging its people(Doc.3). A report was written about Sierra Leone with the purpose of showing how the sick were being harshly treated. This affects the focus by drawing the attention of how this was acceptable and how the officials weren’t trying to prevent this. In other cases, the people were angered with the fact that the government was a

Megan Cox

3/22/2020 10:13:09 pm

https://warontherocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Soviet-prop.jpg

This piece of political propaganda is a display of the stuff or for power between the two superpowers Russia and the United States. This pieces intended audience is most likely Russians and it’s purpose is to show that even with the US rising in power Russia still remains powerful enough to refuse the tempting offers of goods from the US. The piece displays the US as an aggressive old man who is distressed over the young tall man who is representing Russia in this piece rejecting his offer of what looks to be eggs and another item.

Sherer

3/23/2020 11:21:38 am

https://warontherocks.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Soviet-prop.jpg

This is a great piece of Soviet propaganda. I actually have it in my slide shows. And you are right on Megan, shows the worker (actually this style is known as Socialist Realism - here is more if you are interested)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialist_realism

Thanks for the post, we are learning through the interwebs!!!

Megan Cox

3/22/2020 10:24:52 pm

With this whole corona virus thing I feel that we are seeing many behaviors that have been seen in the past. For example I am seeing something on virtually every social media sight that has caught the attention of many scared people. 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 Has been shared all across the internment lately shared by many Christians who believe that 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 is warning the people that god wants change and if we turn to god we will see change. My question is if Jesus were alive today would he be opposed to the reality that many people are preying on the fear of others to convert them to Christianity or would he see it as an opportunity to show people the light and make a change?

Sherer

3/23/2020 11:26:04 am

Remember Hong Xiuquan? Remember millenarianism? To answer your question, I can only speak from the perspective of a religious historian. Basically, the Jesus of history would probably be unconcerned in our context. The Jesus of Christian religious tradition would probably not want conversion through force, in any regards. However, I tend to think that Jesus would have some pretty critical comments about fear-mongering in general, and a system that lacks compassion and doesn't guarantee natural rights. Pretty sure he'd be against individual materialism and hubris as well.

Megan Cox

3/22/2020 10:27:59 pm

Do you think that this quarantine thing and the corona virus was a blessing in Disguise for the environment. The canals in Venice Italy are beginning to look clear again after the lockdown. Do you believe that pollution levels will drastically decrease as a result of this virus confining people to their homes?

belen

3/22/2020 11:34:57 pm

yes

Daniel

3/23/2020 02:32:14 am

I think that the whole thing is caused due to peoples lack of acknowledgement. People tend to be naive when it comes to these sorts of problems. People just tend to underestimate everything. I believe that due to people being detained in their Homes pollution levels won’t go down but will remain the same. The outbreak of the virus is viewed as a way for the environment to be in control again, since humans have always tried to control nature. So yes. Think of it this way, for a long time nature has always been at war with humanity since like neolitic times due to how terribly we’ve treated it and taken advantage of it. So basically just compare it to Easter Island, and how many took advantage of the resources provided which led to their extinction. Or you can also think of the leavers and takers from Ismael and how the takers were set to derive the planet after the leavers, due to the fact that the world was made for man. -Also ignore the fact that I’m replying to this at 2:00 a.m.

Sherer

3/23/2020 11:29:20 am

The Earth is saying thank you. See the dolphins in Italy's rivers? Maybe the lesson here is for every politician that states we "cannot stop the system, and even if we did, what difference would it make?" we now have a 2 week period, or less, in which human activity has been drawn to a halt and the environment has responded. How many people are learning about the beauty of simplicity and self-education while being forced into self-isolation? How many people are revisiting their answers to What is the meaning of life? right now? How many people are seeing a future that isn't just putting the same train back on the same tracks?

Belen Flores

3/22/2020 11:31:57 pm

The Great War, later known as world war 1, caused for the mobilization of a great amount of people to various regions. This relocation of people to different areas allows for an underlying issue to arise. Microorganisms thrive in environments undetected and can infect a organism. They can thrive in the organism successfully without the organism knowing until later on, within 4 days symptoms are showed (usually), but those signs show up a little too late, the microorganisms has spread to plenty others and track of those infected is lost/"untraceable". Such occurred in 1918 with the presence of a influenza virus that infected the many young soldiers and when they returned home, spread the disease to their hometown. During 1918-1919 in North and Latin America, East and West Africa, Southeast Asia, and in Oceania some positive responses to the spread of influenza arose such as volunteering to help those who are sick, and preparing before the virus reaches the place, along with negative responses such as to not do anything toward preventing the spread of the virus and preparing only until the virus has reached the placed.
Many decided to volunteer to help the people who were sick. Various proposals to help those affected were set in placed by the government and also could (did) use the help of common people (doc. 2). Lutiant van Wert, a volunteer officer worker, Native American female, writes a letter to her friend to provide her with the inside scope of what is going on with these places of help and the situation of the influenza virus. She provides her friend with her job roles and actions taken placed by the government providing an "uplifting" attitude toward this place/job role and that anyone can help since she is from a minority group and was allowed to help in these times. Preparing food fo the sick, providing the sick with supplies, and self-isolating from others allowed for those who were sick to prevent the spread of the virus along with "self-aware" actions (doc. 7). Young girls at the time, recall their childhood experience of the influenza outbreak, by focusing on the care that they provided for others and themselves to prevent the spread of the virus. This provides the audience with the tone that everything was done as humanly possible to respond to this virus.
Early preparation before the virus reached soon-to-be-impacted area occurred. Since death was a result, the preparation for the dead bodies occurred at a massive scale (doc.8). C. T. Stoneham, a British solider who served in an military base along the east cast of Africa, focuses on native views of this case and how they prepare for this situation providing a dark tone on how they view life. Seeing the impact of a near by region being impacted allows for the "current" region to react accordingly (doc.9). American Samoa seeing how weakly the government responded with the free manner that the virus entered in British Samoa, prepared accordingly to prevent the free entrance of this virus. Similarly with the COVID-19 case of 2019-present, many countries were unaware and aware of this virus and didn't prepare, whereas others did, and other others prepared as a result and the impact of the virus on the country.
Negative responses to the influenza virus arose such as to not respond to the virus impact. The belief in a superior being that controls what is happening and what will and what will has happen and happening and that the human cannot change that and just accept the fate is a common response from people (doc. 4,5,8). With dark tones overall toward human society by a superior being and that the human must be placed in check and thus no response should occur shows how the people support what is decided by the superior. Just as with conquest of empires, such as the Mongol take over of China, and more, defeated empires/civilizations took the conquerors' god and ideology into practice since apparently that god is stringer than their own since they were overruled.
Late/lack preparation occurred as a response toward the influenza. Those infected were "deprived" of the help that they needed (doc. 3). This report focuses on the people who were infected and turned down by help providing the situation with a dark tone. The unawareness of this virus going around and lack to even prevent the spread of it took many by surprise too (doc. 6). This editorial provides a "Well these people could have acted better" and "They are ignorant" tone toward the government response toward the virus and how they responded late to the appearance of the virus. The developing communication systems worldwide also had an impacted in allowing for others to know what was occurring. The lack of worldwide communication in some areas allowed for this virus to go by unnoticed.
Positive response toward the influenza virus such as volunteering and early preparation, and negative responses such as to not do anything and late preparation in North and Latin America, East and West Afri

Daniel

3/23/2020 01:54:15 am

The human species tends to evolve frequently as to any other living organism. No matter what environment they’re exposed to they manage to inhabit it. Diseases are natures way of saying welcome. Viruses are more of the outcome to being exposed to nature, meaning they’ll always cease to exist, since humans have always tried to control nature. During the 1300’s after the Han dynasty established the silk road and began trading with neighboring regions such as Europe, and the Middle East, many became exposed to not just unfamiliar cultures, religions and resources, but to some deadly diseases. The black plague caused millions to die from its deadly side effects, 30 to 50 percent of Europes population was gone after the disease was transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of infected fleas. Other diseases such as Smallpox and Measles were transmitted to those native to the Americas by Europeans during the Columbian Exchange, causing the Great Dying, where up to 90% of the Native population was shattered. Even those high in medicinal and technological advances are faced with deadly diseases, meaning they become vulnerable despite their advancements. Diseases are a form of challenges, they help living organisms such as humans develop and evolve into a fortius and more stable species, even if it means wiping out more than half of the population.

In the early 1900’s, Afro-Eurasia’s and the Americas response to the spread of the Spanish flu/ influenza was believed to be caused due to religious beliefs such as to how God was the justification or reason to why such epidemic took place. This indicated how many believed that the epidemic was to be the end of humanity due to their sinful actions. Meanwhile others didn’t take the occurring epidemic as seriously as they should’ve, blaming their government for their leading over reaction.

The 1918 influenza outbreak was unusual, Since ordinary influenza is mostly deadly to the very young and the elderly, however the outbreak of 1918 targeted nearly any age group who became exposed to it. During the last few months of the Great War (Doc1), more soldiers died from the Spanish flu than from being in the battle field. Those most vulnerable were those in their twenties, many suffered from lack of oxygen causing them to suffocate to death and bleed internally from their eyes, ears, and mouths. There were times when soldiers couldn’t tell an African American soldier from a white soldier due to how blue and purple they became from the disease. A year earlier Woodrow Wilson had rammed through congress the Sedition Act making it a crime to say or publish anything negative that would affect the war effort. He didn’t want the nation to know or become aware of the situation that the government knew of. This caused an even larger problem because when the virus reached the Americas, an outburst of reactions within the nation led to it affecting not just soldiers on the battle field but the population as well as hospitals due to insufficient space (Doc6). Even those who were aware of the situation weren’t allowed to mention or talk about it because they were deprived of their speaking right. Lying to the public was a problem. However, that’s really all they could do for the moment without altering the publics reactions, knowing that sooner or later they’d suffer the consequences. Health official and doctors would manipulate people making them believe that it was your everyday influenza or that it was just the common flu when the public would come to their attention that other regions such as Europe were suffering from an epidemic of such disease.

Religious beliefs created an even larger problems when people began claiming that God was behind the whole situation. They began believing that God was just punishing them for their sinful actions and that if they were to interfere with his actions that they’d just worsen the problem , causing them to believe that “the blood you bleed is just the blood you owe”-Billie Eilish (Doc4). Many didn’t take action due to fear, because they believed that in order for things to get better they first needed to get worst, but that wasn’t the case since millions of people were suffering from a deadly disease that drowned you in your own body. (Doc5) Not just was interfering with Gods duties an issue but refusing to use medicine. Many sought to believe that medicine was considered a sin, since it was a way for humans to protect themselves from Gods plans. Meaning many believed that taking drugs wasn’t just a sin, but a form of contradicting their religious beliefs due to the fact that it disrupted Gods plan from taking effect. (Doc5) Even though many believed that religion was the cause and the fix of the epidemic others became hopeless because many places closed down churches, causing many to lose hope and begin to believe that maybe God is not

Megan Cox

3/23/2020 11:14:36 am

During the early 1900s the world was engaged in an ongoing battle between the central powers and the allied powers. With the world at odds sanitary conditions were not prioritized leaving people susceptible to disease. Also with the end of World War One in 1918 the many many soldiers returning to their home land also carried disease accumulated during the war. The war led to a massive interaction of different people which made the spread of disease much more likely. With world war 1 the people as well as the government lied elsewhere which resulted in a delayed reaction to the spread of disease.

During the early twentieth century in North America, Latin America, West Africa, East Africa, South Asia, and Oceania people responded to the spread of influenza with philanthropy. Some responded with fear and utilized religious cures or explanations for the pandemic. Also some took the approach to practice prevention techniques and call others to do the same.

Many during the influenza pandemic decided to volunteer themselves and help those infected. An increase of doctors and nurses were seen in many army bases (doc 1.) The audience being a letter to a friend changes the tone of the document making the author less inclined to bend the truth and more informal. The increase of personnel in the camps is indicative of people coming to the aid of those affected. Even those not medically trained found a place to help by performing duties such as carrying the bodies out of the tents, giving medicine to the patients, taking temperature, and tend to the needs of patients or doctors doc 2.) With the rapid spread of Influenza people felt obligated to those of their community doing whatever was needed of them in a time of chaos. Not only were adults getting involved in the help of those infected young children were also contributing to the aid of those sick (doc 7.) Much like the middle class values of the late 1800s rigid morality helped to push people to help the sick. Fear might have also played an important factor in the influence of people to aid the sick because it led the people to believe that the end of the world was coming (doc 8.) In order to try and make the end of the world more bearable people worked to help those of their community.

While people did tend to volunteer themselves to help the sick others chose to use religion as a way to attempt to stop the spread of the disease. Religious belief led to certain groups of people behaving irrationally by refusing treatment (doc 4.) With belief in the ideas of the Hindu god Amman many Hindus refused the drugs used to try and cure influenza. This might have led to the spike in the spread of influenza because of the ignorant belief in a religion. Christians also were led to believe that the disease was a punishment from god (doc 5.) The people were led to believe that their religious belief entitles them to more than those who aren’t believers in their god and they worked endlessly to prevent the anger of god in fear of the worst to come. In being a Christian Science monitor the purpose of their writing is changed to gear towards putting Christians in high status and feeding of the fear of those non believers to convert them and make them loyal to god. One can compare the turn to religion to the reactions of many in today’s society with the coronavirus. Many have turned to the Bible as a way to explain the virus and to turn to others to prevent the spread of it in today’s society as well. Also some turned to more ritualistic ways to prevent the contraction of the disease (doc 7.) Much like some of the ways of voodoo from the Africanization of Christianity many turned to rituals to try and ward off the disease.

While religious preventative measures were being taken by some, others were calling for a more scientific and rational preventive measure to be taken. Bills were being passed to close places such as schools and businesses in an attempt to yield the spread of the disease (doc 2.) Officials of high power were closing off public places and placing government workers in quarantine. They were trying to get the people to stop spreading the disease by staying home. Some people took to the people and called out those of higher power for not taking initiative earlier and not protecting those of lower class (doc 6.) The people's needs were not being satisfied so they reacted in a greasier manner towards their health agency. By spreading awareness of the health agency’s lack of empathy to those in lower class civilizations the author was calling for the people to protect themselves. The economic depression of this time period left some civilizations more prepared than others. Many people without incentive from a higher Authority chose to isolate themselves and refuse to help those infected in fear of being infected themselves doc 3.) They took a preventive measure to not interact with the sick to avoid contracting the disease themselves. T

Chandler S

3/23/2020 11:16:18 am

Throughout all human history disease has been part of the story since the very beginning of human civilizations. Once the first civilizations were created people have been more exposed to diseases due to population growth and how close people are to each other. With diseases people often have responses to them that have been similar over time. The Black plague wiped out half of Europe’s population causing people to panic and stay in their own homes to prevent being infected. Although disease has also been used against people in many different occasions such as the colonization of the Americas to the scramble for Africa were people were killed by diseases, they weren’t immune to. As time progresses there is always a new disease or the same the constantly affect people, but the difference is the technology and the treatments that help people stay alive which wasn’t a thing until much later. Even with new innovations and medications people still can’t prevent the rapid spread of diseases they can only contain it.

Between the years 1918-1919 in Europe the responses to the influenza was the outbreak caused panic and fear among the majority of the population. Another response was that many people were not treated or just turned away and other people simply responded by saying the epidemic was caused by a Godly figure.

Even with all the reason and logic after the enlightenment people still believed that the influenza epidemic was caused as a punishment from God being angry at their choices (Doc 5). Just before this the industrial revolution was the start of humans affecting the environment heavily by burning fossil fuels causing pollution to help destroy the earth. Also, nationalism came into play with big nations such as Britain that carved up Africa by colonizing its people. Due to all these actions caused by humans to help destroy the earth people concluded that influenza was the punishment from God for all the human race’s actions. Another belief was God sent the influenza because it was meant to wipe out the whole population causing the end of humans (Doc 8). C. T. Stoneham a British soldier that served in East Africa believes that God sent this disease to end humanity due to the man destructiveness which affects his worried tone by saying that this is the end of the human race and begins to panic . People responded by doing actions that they believed wouldn’t anger God any more than they already had by doing good deeds and praying. This would lead to superstitions instead of logic causing more people to die without medication because of the belief that it wasn’t necessary (Doc 4).

This epidemic would cause not everyone to be treated and to be turned away due to its rapid increase of people being infected. The outbreak was spreading so quickly that doctors and medication couldn’t keep up with the massive spread causing more and more people to die each day (Doc 1). At this time medication wasn’t as effective as it is today in the world which would make each patient take longer to recover because of the lack of knowledge and treatments. Although to compare to the Black plague back in the 15th century the influenza flu was able to be contained much better due to technology and innovations such as ice packs, medicines and oils to help find a cure quicker (Doc 2). Lutiant van Wer is a women native volunteer officer worker that explains her struggle with people with the flu which makes her a reliable source because of her treatment methods towards the ill that affects her dark tone by describing how people keep dying along with the cases getting much worse causing people to close public places. Even with these new treatments people were still left for death due to the massive spread of the influenza. Since there people dying at increasing numbers many people would resort to going onto the streets because of the lack of treatment causing people to get sicker (Doc 3).

Another Response for the influenza epidemic was panic and fear among the population. The panic would lead to everyone become knowledgeable about it causing people to try and take preventive measures to not get infected (Doc 6). Whenever there is a spreading disease people resort to preventing the spread in hopes of keeping people alive by closing down stores and shops to help prevent the infection rate (Doc 7). The two women on the radio show talk about the measures they took during their childhood during the flu which makes them a very reliable source since they lived during this time period with the purpose to inform their audience on how serious this epidemic was by people avoiding to touch stuff and leaving stuff at the door to prevent each other from catching this disease. Lastly people would be angry at others for the cause of the spread which would help increase death counts that made people more afraid (Doc 9).

From the years 1918-1919 in Europe the responses to the influenz

bre

3/23/2020 02:37:37 pm

Disease has been a reoccurring issue that evolved through the domestication of animals in the Neolithic period. When nomadic hunter-gatherers settled and turned to agriculture and began farming, they depended on animals for sources of food, supplies, and transportation. Areas where animals had yet to be domesticated were not immune to diseases that other regions had adapted to already. An example would be the Great Dying, where Europeans crossed the Atlantic Ocean into America that resulted in the casualty of over 90% of the population. During the early twentieth century, the spread of influenza reached in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres through trading ports, poor living conditions, and the belief it spread through God (a higher power).
In the early twentieth century, major trading posts and ships helped spread influenza. In 1918-1919, major trading ports in Boston, Massachusetts or Madras, British India were massive sites of influenza outbreaks (doc 1). Trading ports dominate trade through sea routes and allow for transportation overseas and more bulk items to be moved. With these, their systems must be run effectively through a multitude of people who carry and transport items for foreign lands. This makes the disease more likely to spread from region to region and break out in populated zones. A brazilian newspaper editorial creates a negative undermining tone towards the public health agency, which focuses the tone on the agencies allowing ships and trade with ports in Brazil without any sanitary measures. The editorial attacks on the agency's ignorance in which the sickness wouldn’t stop spreading until more preventive measures were taken (doc 6). These ports allowed contact to continuously be made between various people. Various places and islands, like Savaii, reported to have come into contact with influenza through ships and have a large portion of their population become ill and die (doc 9).
The influenza disease was able to disperse more rapidly through poor living conditions. Due to the rapid contamination and multitude of cases reported, not enough supplies nor treatment was provided for citizens (doc. 3). Without the proper medicines and care, the illness would grow stronger and spread faster as it wouldn’t be treated nor be stopped from coming into contact with others. If you were known to be sick, you would be treated poorly and outcast. This relates to the Industrial Revolution which also shows poor living conditions. With urbanization and the transfer to working jobs, harsh working conditions followed that created harder lives. Pollution and tenement housing also followed which created various health issues and famine. Those with the proper care would stay away from crowds and public places that could be contaminated (doc 7). The tone of the first speaker is more joyful adn pleasant that focuses the recallation on the better times in their childhood. She describes the vegetables as beautiful and providing food for the ill during this time of war and terror, where most wouldn’t speak so cheery. Places such as camps would require more doctors and medicine that would allow for work to continue and production to begin increasing again (doc 1). The medical doctor, whose job is to provide help for those who are sick and holds a higher status job, focuses on how busy and troubling his experience at Camp Devens was. He, as various other leaders, overlooked the many campers and explained how the epidemic that broke out brought many deaths and was a site like no other.
One reasoning for the spreading of influenza was believed that it was brought upon a God or higher entity. Through a religious standpoint, influenza was meant to occur and happen for a purpose (doc 4). Therefore, it was not to be fought and rather let happen with ease so their God’s plan would be fulfilled (doc 5). Religion during this time period bound people, like nationalities, and practiced for years through many generations. Especially in times of desperation like WWI, it was held closer to many civilians that allowed it to be practiced more strongly. This war was seen to be the end and the plague was a part of the destruction of their world (doc 8). This can relate back to chivalry which helped support answers and questions through God.

bre

3/23/2020 02:39:32 pm

After reading the prompt over again, I realized I didn’t do the correct response 😔 So my DBQ doesn’t answer the prompt , I must have skipped over “responses to” and instead did answered how it spread.

Sherer

3/24/2020 08:33:45 am

I am going to give individual feedback regarding the DBQ exercise this morning. If you have not, and would like to (be willing to?), please submit within the next hour or so. Lets say by 10 AM. I am not going to "assign" a big lesson today, but I would like you all to work on a chart using another blog post. Let us generate some discussion from yesterday's two posts, Culture of the 1920s and Economics regarding the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. I would love to field some questions regarding this subject matter.

Sherer

3/24/2020 08:44:37 am

I would LOVE to talk about the Steinbeck Grapes of Wrath excerpt in the Great Depression discussion post.

WWI & 1918 Flu Pandemic Discussion Thread

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