In 1918 the influenza (Spanish flu) pandemic nearly spread to all parts of the world. Most of the victims of the virus were young, healthy adults, unlike most pandemics which affect children and the elderly the most. The pandemic lasted from March 1918 until June 1920.
The Spanish influenza even spread to the Arctic and remote Pacific islands. Somewhere between fifty and one hundred million casualties that were caused by the pandemic were estimated. Approximately 3% of the world's population died from the disease. And an estimated 500 million were infected by the virus overall.
This flu pandemic is supposed to be the worst one of all times, as it killed about 20% of those who were infected with the disease, as compared to others that kill only about 0.1 %. To date, no other pandemic has killed as many people as the Spanish flu pandemic. This is why the Spanish flu has been called the greatest medical holocaust in history.
The number of deaths caused by pneumonia in this pandemic were also extremely high. A type of bacterial pneumonia is usually encountered as a secondary infection while you had the Spanish flu. Another symptom of the flu is the hemorrhage of various mucous membranes. This included those of the nose, intestine, stomach etc. Bleeding ears and petechia were also symptoms. Petechia is the formation of red or purple spots on the body, due to hemorrhages.
Overall this virus was devastating to people around the world. The fact that the Spanish Flu is referred to as "the greatest medical holocaust", really puts it into perspective. The fact that this virus was most deadly to young, healthy adults is what is most frightening to me. I believe that because most people didn't what was causing the Spanish flu, it became more scary to them.
Friday
Events That Led to the Outbreak of World War I
The events that caused World War I were much more complicated than most people think that they were. It all started with the assassination of arch duke Franz Ferdinand and his wife. They were assassinated by Serbian Black Hand terrorists in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914. And at the time the following alliances existed: Russia and Serbia, Germany and Austria/Hungary, France and Russia, Britain and France and Belgium, and Japan and Britain.
After Franz Ferdinand was assassinated Austro-Hungary was upset at Serbia's response. Austro-Hungary then declared war on Serbia on July 18, 1914. Then the alliance between Russia and Serbia comes into play. Russia goes to support Serbia in the war against Austro-Hungary on July 29,1914. Then, due to the alliance between Austro-Hungary and Germany, Germany declares war on Russia on August 1, 1914. Germany also declares war on France on August 3, 1914. Then Germany invaded Belgium by using the Schlieffen Plan.
"The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war where it might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east. The First World War later became such a war with both a Western Front and an Eastern Front. The plan took advantage of expected differences in the three countries' speed in preparing for war. In short, it was the German plan to avoid a two-front war by concentrating their troops in the west, quickly defeating the French and then, if necessary, rushing those troops by rail to the east to face the Russians before they had time to mobilize fully. The Schlieffen Plan was created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen and modified by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger after Schlieffen's retirement. It was Moltke who actually put the plan into action, despite initial reservations about it.[citation needed] In modified form, it was executed to near victory in the first month of World War I; however, the modifications to the original plan, a French counterattack on the outskirts of Paris (the Battle of the Marne), and surprisingly speedy Russian offensives, ended the German offensive and resulted in years of trench warfare. The plan has been the subject of intense debate among historians and military scholars ever since. Schlieffen's last words were "remember to keep the right flank strong", a request which was watered down by Moltke." (source)
After Belgium was invaded, Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914. Then on the next day (August 5th), Ausro-Hungary declares war on Russia. And then, by August 12, 1914, France and Britain had declared war on Austro-Hungary. All these events are what eventually led up to World War I.
By the end of the war, four major imperial powers (German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires) had been defeated militarily, as well as politically. The Soviet Union was revolutionised and emerged from the Russian empire. Europe was then made into numerous smaller states. In order to prevent another conflict like World War I, The League of Nations was formed.
I think that the war was basically caused by a "snowball effect". One event led to another and eventually the war broke out. The alliances between different countries also contributed to the break out of the war.
After Franz Ferdinand was assassinated Austro-Hungary was upset at Serbia's response. Austro-Hungary then declared war on Serbia on July 18, 1914. Then the alliance between Russia and Serbia comes into play. Russia goes to support Serbia in the war against Austro-Hungary on July 29,1914. Then, due to the alliance between Austro-Hungary and Germany, Germany declares war on Russia on August 1, 1914. Germany also declares war on France on August 3, 1914. Then Germany invaded Belgium by using the Schlieffen Plan.
"The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war where it might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east. The First World War later became such a war with both a Western Front and an Eastern Front. The plan took advantage of expected differences in the three countries' speed in preparing for war. In short, it was the German plan to avoid a two-front war by concentrating their troops in the west, quickly defeating the French and then, if necessary, rushing those troops by rail to the east to face the Russians before they had time to mobilize fully. The Schlieffen Plan was created by Count Alfred von Schlieffen and modified by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger after Schlieffen's retirement. It was Moltke who actually put the plan into action, despite initial reservations about it.[citation needed] In modified form, it was executed to near victory in the first month of World War I; however, the modifications to the original plan, a French counterattack on the outskirts of Paris (the Battle of the Marne), and surprisingly speedy Russian offensives, ended the German offensive and resulted in years of trench warfare. The plan has been the subject of intense debate among historians and military scholars ever since. Schlieffen's last words were "remember to keep the right flank strong", a request which was watered down by Moltke." (source)
After Belgium was invaded, Britain declared war on Germany on August 4, 1914. Then on the next day (August 5th), Ausro-Hungary declares war on Russia. And then, by August 12, 1914, France and Britain had declared war on Austro-Hungary. All these events are what eventually led up to World War I.
By the end of the war, four major imperial powers (German, Russian, Austro-Hungarian, and Ottoman empires) had been defeated militarily, as well as politically. The Soviet Union was revolutionised and emerged from the Russian empire. Europe was then made into numerous smaller states. In order to prevent another conflict like World War I, The League of Nations was formed.
I think that the war was basically caused by a "snowball effect". One event led to another and eventually the war broke out. The alliances between different countries also contributed to the break out of the war.
Panama Canal
The Panama Canal was constructed in two different stages. The first stage began in 1881 and ended in 1888. The work done in the first stage was done by the French company headed by de Lessop. The second stage of construction took place in 1904-1914. During the second period American workers worked on the Canal.
"The first attempt to build the Canal was made by a French company, but the attempt ended in failure in 1889. The American government eventually bought out the French for 40 million dollars, and their attempt to build the Canal started in 1904. The project ended in triumph, with the Canal opening in 1914, and it is now a vital artery of international trade, with nearly 14,000 ships travelling through it every year."(source)
The Panama Canal is about fifty miles long. It runs across the center of Panama and links the Atlantic and Pacific. At the ends of the canal in the Pacific and Atlantic, there are locks that either raise the ship to the surface of the canal or lower the ships to sea level. The Canal itself is made up of the Gaillard Cut Channel and the Gatun Lake.
The total financial cost to the American government was around $375 million to build the canal. Not only did it cost Americans a lot of money, but many American lives as well. the death toll by the time the canal was finished was a bout 25,000 people.
Ultimately, the Panama Canal was a vital part of history. This canal was used by early explorers. Without this canal world shipping and trading would be much more complicated. The Panama Canal is a key element to all of history.
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