What comes to mind when you think of the Spanish Flu? You probably think it was a tragedy that hit Spain, right? Unfortunately, the truth is very different from what most of us know.
In 1918, a deadly flu virus swept through nations, infecting over 500 million people. At the time, most people expected the sick, elderly, and young to die as they were more susceptible. This virus was different. It seemed to be taking healthy, young adults. The death tolls rose everywhere, not just in Spain. But why do we call it the Spanish Flu, then?
At the time, in order to maintain morale during this time of war, the information about the pandemic was censored in the UK, Germany, France, and the US. Papers instead reported on Spain’s rising death tolls as they were a neutral country during war. This failure made them famous for something that was a tragedy.