IN 1942 WHEN JAPANESE TROOPS OVERRUN THE MALAYAN PENINSULA, THE UNITED STATED HAD BEEN ABRUPTLY CUT ALL THEIR SUPPLY OF RUBBER. AS A RESULT 50 000 BRAZILIANS, MOSTLY FROM NORTHEAST WHICH SUFFERED A SEVERE DRAUGHT WERE SENT TO THE NORTHWESTERN MOST OF AMAZON REGION TO EXTRACT THE BADLY NEEDED RUBBER.