THE CHEMICAL DEFOLIATION OF VIETNAM

Tessa Paige

Humanities English II

Mr. Chiumento

6/11/12

Herbicides should not have been used in Vietnam, as they have created a

propensity for disease and defects in Vietnamese citizens and American

veterans even today.

OPERATION RANCHHAND

From 1962- 1971, about 19 million gallons of herbicide were sprayed in order to “[kill]

crops to derive Vietcong and North Vietnamese troops of food… [and to] remove the vegetation cover used by [these] forces

for concealment” (Buckingham).

OPERATION RANCHHAND

“It was envisioned that the Viet Cong would be weakened politically, socially, and

economically by the deployment of Agent Orange” (Tucker).

Of the 19 million gallons of herbicide used, about 11 million were Agent Orange

(Stellman).

AGENT ORANGE

Named for the identifying color ring on its packaging, Agent Orange was the most common chemical mixture used to defoliate Vietnam (Tucker).

From 1965-1970, approximately 11 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed within Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. (Stellman)

AGENT ORANGE

It has since been linked to the explosion of physical and mental disabilities, diseases, and defects in the generations following the people exposed to the chemical.

OTHER AGENTS (THE RAINBOW HERBICIDES)

The oil-based Agents Green, Pink, and Purple were used until their replacement in 1964 with the more effective Agent Orange. (Hay)

OTHER AGENTS

Agents Blue and White, water-based, were used from 1962-1971. Agent White controlled forests and vegetation, while Agent Blue was used to kill crops (Hay). The contamination of not just native lands, but vital farmland, led to great exposure to herbicides.

BIRTH DEFECTS

Agent Orange has caused widespread disease and deformities. Both Vietnamese citizens,

whose food sources were contaminated, and American soldiers, who worked directly with the chemicals, have been affected even in

third generations (Tucker).

BIRTH DEFECTS

“Soil samples taken in Vietnam proved that dioxin levels were 180 million times above the

safe level allowed by the U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency” (Tucker).

BIRTH DEFECTS

“These two sister's bodies are a mass of scabs and open wounds, hands and feet worn down to stubs. The mother

used to live in Quang Nqai Province and

remembers the agent orange falling on the rice paddies.

Nothing survived and the village had to ask for food from

neighboring provinces.”

CONTEMPORARY CONCERNS

As recently as March 2012, experts have been debating as whether or not to market a new corn strain that is resistant to one of the chemicals used in Agent Orange, 2,4-D. Allowing its use would cause farmers across the nation to begin using 2,4-D to control weeds, as their crops would be resistant to its effects. It is likely that the widespread use of 2,4-D will cause harm to the environment and to human health (Graves).

CONTEMPORARY CONCERNS

In addition, the use of 2,4-D could potentially cause harm to other vital crops that are not resistant to the pesticide. One farmer in Indiana had his crops harmed in a similar way (Pollack).

If 2,4-D-resistant crops are put into use, there is also the possibility that it will be overused, and weeds will build up a resistance to the chemical, creating a growing dependence on herbicides (Pollack).

The purpose of the defoliants and herbicides used in Vietnam was to gain a tactical advantage. However, the dangerous

chemicals used caused more harm than good, leading to tragedy for countless people

harmed.

Even today, decades after the rainbow herbicides were used, birth defects and

disease are common in the offspring of those who came into contact with Agent Orange.

The returning use of some of its components leave farmers in an uproar. Altogether,

herbicides should not have been used during the Vietnam War.

WORKS CITED Buckingham, William A.. Operation Ranch Hand the Air

Force and herbicides in Southeast Asia, 1961-1971. Washington, D.C.: Office of Air Force History, U.S. Air Force, 1982. Web. 5 June 2012.

Graves, Lucia. "'Agent Orange Corn' Debate Rages as Dow Seeks Approval of New Genetically Modified Seed.“ Huffington Post 26 Apr. 2012: n. pag. Huffington Post. Web. 5 June 2012.

Hay, Alastair. The chemical scythe: lessons of 2, 4, 5-T, and dioxin. New York: Plenum Press, 1982. Web. 5 June 2012.

Pollack, Andrew. "A Battle Over an Engineered Crop." New York Times 26 Apr. 2012: B1. NYTimes. Web. 6 June 2012.

Stellman, Jeanne Mager, et al. "The extent and patterns of usage of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam." Exposure Analysis and Environmental  Epidemiology : n. pag. PDF file.

Tucker, Spencer C. "Agent Orange." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 10 June 2012.