Vaccine Military History

About Vaccine Military History

Vaccines have been critical to military effectiveness throughout history. George Washington ordered variolation of the Continental Army against smallpox in 1777, a decisive decision that kept the army functional. More soldiers died of disease than combat in most wars until the 20th century. Typhoid killed thousands of British soldiers in the Boer War, when vaccination was voluntary and limited; it was used far more widely in World War I. The Spanish American War motivated typhoid and yellow fever research. World War II accelerated vaccine development including influenza, typhus, and yellow fever vaccines. The US military developed adenovirus, anthrax, and plague vaccines. Military vaccine research has contributed to civilian vaccines including Japanese encephalitis, dengue, and malaria. The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and the Naval Medical Research Center are leading vaccine research institutions. Military investment in vaccine development remains important for both force protection and public health.