ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Jonathan Letterman

Okay kiddo, Jonathan Letterman was a very important person during the American Civil War many years ago. He was a man who helped take care of the soldiers who got hurt or sick during the war.

You see, when people go to war they can get hurt really badly or they can get sick because they aren't always able to take care of themselves. And that's where Jonathan Letterman came in.

He was a doctor who created a system to take care of the injured soldiers. He made sure there were enough doctors and nurses to help the soldiers and he also made sure they had the medicine and equipment they needed to heal.

Letterman's system was so good that it was used as a model for emergency medical services around the world! He helped thousands of soldiers during the war and his work even saved many lives.

So, that's who Jonathan Letterman was, a hero who helped take care of the soldiers during the Civil War.