During World War II, why did two Allied units withdraw from positions previously occupied by Germans in the North African Desert?

• A. Dengue fever infected the camp.
• B. Malaria infected one-half of the camp.
• C. Flies spread disease from the exposed feces.
• D. Heat stroke affected the leaders in the desert.

Answer: (C)

When disease can spread quickly through a community of soldiers, commanders may decide to pull back to stop the outbreak and protect the remaining troops. In camps during the North African Desert campaign, waste and feces often sat exposed, and flies could move pathogens from feces to food and water. This creates a rapid spread of illnesses like dysentery, weakening units and making continued occupation untenable. Pulling back allows medical teams to treat the sick, improve sanitation, and prevent further transmission, which is why withdrawal occurred in this scenario. The other options don’t fit the same mechanism: dengue and malaria involve mosquitoes and operate differently in that environment, and heat stroke, while dangerous, isn’t about fecal-oral transmission in the way described.