Malaria-control policies enforced at US military bases set up in Brazil during World War II serve as an example in this analysis of the associations between disease and war. Case studies of the three main US bases (located in Belém, Recife, and Natal) show how malaria can be transformed into a matter of political-military security. An examination of the Natal case allows the reader to perceive the prejudices, political mistrust, and nationalistic tensions marking relations between the Brazilians and Americans.
history; malaria; World War II; Brazil; United States