Agent Orange

11 June 2012

The use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War has had lasting effects on the

citizens of Vietnam even today.

Sali C. McDaniel

“Approximately 19 million gallons of herbicides, including

Agent Orange, were applied by the U.S. Air Force to clear

foliage in Vietnam during 1961-1970. (Department of

Defense)”

As part as Operation Ranch Hand, Agent

Orange was used as a defoliant in Southeast

Asia. It was used without the knowledge of its

effects on human lives. This agent could kill and

it effected many generations after the

generation the was exposed to it. Because of

the amount that was used then, today people

are still affected . There are still traces of Agent

Orange in fish, air, water, and land in Vietnam.

“Over many years, Vietnam veterans who began to get sick, have

birth defected children and often died…(Cline)”

Agent Orange is commonly deemed responsible for

birth deformations and defects throughout

Vietnam. Those severely affected by this chemical

can not function as an unaffected human may. The

most common deformities caused by Agent Orange

in Vietnam are clef palates, mental disabilities,

extra fingers and toes, missing limbs, no eyes or

noses and the inability to walk. There are

approximately 150,000 children in Vietnam with

disabilities from Agent Orange.

"564,000 people, 15,451 are

suffering from the effects of

toxic chemicals - 8,325 who

were directly exposed,

6,881 of their children who

suffer from birth defects and

245 grandchildren.

(Alexander)”

The affects of Agent Orange has now traveled

through generations. It will take at least the great

grandchildren if not the great-great grandchildren

to stop the birth defects of the original victims.

245 seems like a small number but that’s only

coming from the 15,451 orginally sprayed, that’s

a lot to go through 3 generations and the

suffering isn’t over.

"Hoang Van Thong, vice

chairman of the provincial

Committee for Protection

and Care of Children, says

most families cannot afford

specialized treatment for

children with birth defects

and that some youngsters

may even be allowed to die

as a result of the burden.

(Alexander)”

Children that are affected that cannot afford

medical treatment are basically left to fend for

themselves. To keep in thought that this is the

21st century, it is amazing that no one has tried

to come out to the world that this is a problem

that needs to be fixed. This is a big in Vietnam

as cancer is in this country.

Rain has carried off many of the dioxins from the ends of

an airstrip into the village of Dong Son. In result of this,

many people in that village have birth defects due to the

Agent Orange. 272 of 1078 people (a little over ¼) in

Dong Son have been disabled (Alexander).

Since Vietnam is a country that gets a lot of rain,

much of the chemical that is left is transported

throughout. This makes the chemical even more

effective to the people even more than it should

have been. No one really expected that this

chemical meant for defoiliating jungles would

effect Vietnam so much in the long run.

Since more and more time has

passed from the last time

Agent Orange was used, the

toxins in the ground and air

are slowly disappearing. There

have been less and less

children being born with birth

defects than in the 70s and

80s. There are still some local

areas where people are

warned that the fish may still

be infected and not safe to eat

(Alexander).

Agent Orange is a toxin that will only disappear

slowly. With time less and less people will be

affected by the toxins from Agent Orange. The

people of Vietnam may never be the same but

they are still people. No one knows what will

happen with the society of this country due to the

affects of Agent Orange, only time can take its

course and we will know what happens when it

happens.

The United States and Vietnamese government have

been talking about working together to find all the effects

of Agent Orange since both countries were involved with

the dioxin. As of now there is only funding from the

government and international funding from the

Vietnamese Red Cross

(Alexander).

It is somewhat pitiful that the United States and

Vietnam have taken this long to step up and see

what the effects of Agent Orange are. It has been

more than 50 years since the chemical was used

and they are just now trying to see what it does

to the human body and if it was actually a bad

ithing to do.

Nearly 20,000,000 gallons of Agent Orange mixed with jet fuel was

sprayed by the United States military as part of Operation Ranch

Hand.

Even today, there are still many hot spots for Agent

Orange; most are found around former U.S. airports.

Vietnamese exposed to Agent Orange have

suffered skin diseases, cancer, blindness and

many more life changing diseases.

Not many people realize the effects Argent Orange still

has in Vietnam and even in the United States. If it is

going to be fixed more people should know about it and

take some form of action.

WORKS CITEDCline, David. "Newsletter NO.1 November 24, 2006." VN Agent Orange. N.p., 24 Nov.

2006. Web. 7 June 2012.

"Military." Operation Trail Dust / Ranch Hand. John Pike, 12 Mar. 2012. Web. 7 June 2012

Paul, Alexander. "Agent Orange Effects Still Being Felt 25 Years after End of Vietnam

War."Agent Orange Effects Still Being Felt 25 Years after End of Vietnam War.

Associated Press, 23 Apr. 2000. Web. 7 June 2012

Wade, Hamlin. "Make Agent Orange History." Agent Orange Effects Linger in Vietnam

«. N.p., 1 Mar. 2011. Web. 7 June 2012. 

"U.S. Air Force plane sprays herbicide in Vietnam." Image. Department of Defense.

World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 6 June 2012.