During WWI, about 53,400 American soldiers died in combat and roughly 45,000 died from influenza—a deadly reminder that disease killed nearly as many troops as enemy fire. The post makes this comparison in response to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's recent decision to eliminate the military's flu vaccine requirement, which has been mandatory since the 1950s. The historical numbers are accurate, and the linked reporting confirms Hegseth's policy change, though the post uses the comparison as persuasive argument rather than neutral analysis. The core takeaway is sound: military history shows that flu can devastate readiness, but the post frames this as implicit criticism rather than presenting both the policy rationale and counterarguments.