# Which other pandemics have been spoken of as 'the unseen enemy', 'at war with" or 'world war' ?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-other-pandemics-have-been-spoken-of-as-the-unseen-enemy-at-war-with-or-world-war/850910>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 2, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-other-pandemics-have-been-spoken-of-as-the-unseen-enemy-at-war-with-or-world-war/850910 "2020-04-02T20:24:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![davidmich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e56c9b/32.png) [@davidmich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidmich)\
**Post date:** [April 2, 2020, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-other-pandemics-have-been-spoken-of-as-the-unseen-enemy-at-war-with-or-world-war/850910/1 "2020-04-02T20:24:31Z")

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Hi

In all my reading on pandemics I have yet to see any reference to “the unseen enemy” and “at war with” it or even as being a ‘world war’.

Which other pandemics in history have been spoken of as ‘the unseen enemy’, and as being 'at war with" it ? If we are not to think of it as hyperbole, does it meet the criteria of being a ‘world war’?

I look forward to your feedback.