Agent Orange Vietnam War

Words: 3386

Pages: 14

Open Document

Within the United States, there is an increase in chronic diseases within the population resulting from the exposure to Agent Orange. Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide that was used by the United States to control and remove the vegetation used as protection by military troops during the Vietnam War. Agent Orange is composed of multiple chemicals such as traces of dioxin, which have been found to have caused major health problems for those exposed and their children. These health problems include cancer, birth disorders, and many other life-threatening complications. Through an examination of the historical practice, herbicide components, short-term and long-term health effects, current impacted populations, and proposed solutions, this …show more content…
The use of herbicides was primarily applied from 1966 to 1969, however, the morality and consequences of using this weapon were being questioned. The use of Agent Orange caused Americans to be in increased opposition of U.S. involvement in the war. In 1969, “The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) maintained that the levels of application of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T in Vietnam exceeded levels in civilian usage and called on the Department of Defense to cease use of these chemicals”(Institute of Medicine, 1994). After this declaration, the use of Agent Orange ended, however, missions utilized Agent White (a similar alternative herbicide) for defoliation purposes. Agent White was less desirable by the military because it took months compared to weeks to reach their desired results. When the U.S. veterans returned, it was apparent to the government that there was evidence of deadly and harmful effects. This discovery prompted the immediate banning of the production and use of Agent Orange by 1971.The remaining tanks containing Agent Orange were destroyed off the coast of Hawaii in

Agent Orange Vietnam War

expansion led to US engagement in proxy wars, a war instigated by a major power which does not itself become involved (Oxford Dictionary). The…

Words 1206 - Pages 5

Agent Orange In The Vietnam War

Agent orange Matthew Lambert I chose to do my History research task on the use of Agent Orange and how it affected people in the Vietnam War. Nature The name ‘Agent Orange’ came from the orange stripe on the barrel that they used too keep the herbicide in. From 1961 to 1972 the U.S. military conducted a massive program with the aim to destroy the Vietnam jungle and forest so the Vietnam and Viet Cong troops fighting the U.S. American planes and helicopters deployed a liquid spray out from the…

Words 1070 - Pages 5

Agent Orange Vietnam War

What exactly was the Agent Orange used in Vietnam War? 1962- 1971 It is a blend of tactical herbicides the U.S. military sprayed, during Operation Ranch Hand in the Vietnam War in the South Vietnam country. 12 million gallons of it, enough for 18,000 sq. miles was sprayed onto 66 sq. miles of South Vietnam. The main purpose was to remove trees and dense tropical foliage that provided enemy cover where and to defoliate hiding places used by the Vietnamese, their main food source which was the rice…

Words 1239 - Pages 5

Agent Orange: Rainbow Herbicides During The Vietnam War

Agent Orange is the most commonly known Rainbow Herbicide used in the Vietnam war. The Rainbow Herbicides are a group of "tactical use" chemicals used by the United States military in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. Herbicidal warfare had been a military dream since the 1940s when researchers began to brainstorm ways to use chemicals in the United States to keep experimenting with the chemicals. In 1961, test runs began. The chemicals were deployed as part of Operation Ranch Hand, a military…

Words 301 - Pages 2

Agent Orange Legacy

of the Vietnam War The Vietnam War lasted from November 1st 1955 to April 30th 1975. (https://www.britannica.com/event/Vietnam-War) In the span of twenty years 75.7 million liters of chemicals were sprayed over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia by the US. The US used 260 million cluster bombs, roughly 2.5 million tons of munitions, and there were 580,000 bombing missions in Laos alone. (http://legaciesofwar.org/resources/books-documents/land-of-a-million-bombs/) 43 years after the Vietnam War ended,…

Words 737 - Pages 3

Vietnam Agent Orange Effects

Introduction: Agent Orange, an exposure tactic used by the U.S. military on the soldiers of Vietnam in the 1960s, was named after the “orange band around its storage barrel” (US Department of Veterans Affairs, 2013). As a plant killing herbicide, the purpose of Agent Orange was to kill the millions of acres of trees and vegetation that the Vietnamese used for cover against the U.S. during the Vietnam war. An estimated 20 million gallons of Agent Orange were sprayed from U.S. warplanes upon the forests…

Words 1429 - Pages 6

Agent Orange: Birth Defects In Vietnam

Introduction: Agent Orange was a chemical weapon that was used in the Vietnam War from 1961-1972. This chemical alone killed 400,000 people, and the nation of Vietnam reports half a million birth defects in children due to Agent Orange (History.com staff, 2011). This chemical, while being deployed in Vietnam over 40 years ago, still has significant impacts on the younger generations being born in Vietnam today. There has been a staggering amount of cases of children with birth defects, and, according…

Words 1064 - Pages 5

Why Is Agent Orange Bad

Agent Orange was an herbicide used along with Agent Blue, Agent Purple, Agent White, Agent Pink, and Agent Green. Agent Orange created many health issues, which caused long term effects like cancer and brain tumors. Despite the post-war problems, Agent Orange was effective for what was necessary at the time. Agent Orange was an Arsenic-Laced Herbicide that was used to help see the enemy better during the time of the Vietnam War. Arsenic is a chemical that has the possibility of being used for many…

Words 960 - Pages 4

Vietnam War Effects

The reminisce of war has a lasting effect on every society involved. We can point the blame of that war at both parties involved, but the ultimate negligence is the country that enters another country; destroys its future for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness and leaves without worry of survivability of everyone involved. All aspects of war and the methods used to win that war can be very bitter and have a lasting effect on not just the countries fighting that war but also the generations…

Words 999 - Pages 4

Chemical Warfare in Vietnam Essay

uses of Greek Fire to wide spread mustard gas use in World War I to nerve agents used in the modern day wars. Although most of these chemicals used were for anti-personnel purposes, chemicals used during the Vietnam War era perhaps had the most horrific effects, then and even still today. These chemicals were extensively used during the war effort by the United States military as defoliants but the effects on the civilian population of Vietnam grossly outweighed any possible good the chemicals could…

Words 1612 - Pages 7