Mosquito Empires: Ecology and War in the Greater Caribbean, 1620-1914 (original) (raw)

John R. McNeill's "Mosquito Empires: Ecology and War in the Greater Caribbean, 1620-1914" investigates the impact of mosquito-borne diseases like yellow fever and malaria on geopolitical events in the Caribbean and the Americas. The book presents a compelling argument about how differential immunity affected the outcomes of wars and colonial expansion, asserting that established populations had advantages over newer arrivals. Through a series of historical incidents, McNeill illustrates the ecological context of these diseases and their influence on pivotal moments in the fight for independence across the Americas.