Corpos dóceis e disciplinados: a Educação Física como instrumento para 2ª Guerra Mundial (1941-1947)

Abstract

With Brazil's declaration of war on Germany and Italy in 1942, the Army School of Physical Education (EsEFEx) assumed a central role in preparing military personnel for World War II. Thus, this study investigates how Brazil's entry into the war impacted Physical Education, using the Journal of Physical Education (REF) as a source, published between 1941 and 1947, and based on Michel Foucault's "Discipline and Punish." The analysis indicates that EsEFEx, in addition to preparing military personnel for combat, acted as an agent of control and discipline, forging "docile and disciplined bodies" capable of withstanding the war and contributing to the country's reconstruction.