Throughline The Deadliest Ally | America in Pursuit
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Jan 20, 2026 Dr. Tim Weingard, a history professor and author renowned for his work on disease's historical impact, dives into the crucial role of mosquitoes during the American Revolution. He reveals how these flying foes forced strategic changes, highlighting Washington's cautious approach. Weingard discusses the susceptibility of British troops to malaria, Cornwallis’s misguided maneuvers, and how Yorktown’s marshes contributed to the British defeat. Further, he warns of mosquitoes' ongoing influence on human movement and history today.
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Malaria Drove Military Movements
- Malaria shaped British strategy as troops sought healthy ground in the southern colonies.
- Cornwallis zigzagged to avoid sickness rather than purely to fight Americans.
Seasoning Against Malaria Mattered
- British soldiers were less 'seasoned' to colonial malaria than American troops.
- Cornwallis reported that sickness, especially malaria, drastically reduced his effective forces.
Yorktown’s Marshes Became a Trap
- Cornwallis fortified at Yorktown, a marshy Tidewater estuary surrounded by prime mosquito habitat.
- The French navy and Washington trapped his sickened army there, leading to surrender in October 1781.
