Effects of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War: Review of Literature. Agent Orange, a harsh herbicide used in the Vietnam War, haunts veterans and

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1 Alex Pastis Mrs. Benton Honors World Literature 7 November 2013 Effects of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War: Review of Literature Agent Orange, a harsh herbicide used in the Vietnam War, haunts veterans and illustrates the importance of chemical clean-up. Herbicides kill plants and are used by civilians for clearing weeds; specifically, the United States used Agent Orange strictly for military use. Dense foliage overwhelms the jungles in Vietnam, unlike the environment to which the US soldiers are accustomed. This advantage helped the enemy because they were familiar with the jungle and had concealment and camps already made, whereas, the US military was foreign to the intense plant life and needed the help of chemicals to clear out the vegetation. The background, use, and

2 medical side effects of Agent Orange illustrate the rights and responsibilities of cleaning the aftermath of harsh chemicals. A complicated chemical compound, Agent Orange consisted of 2,4- dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4,5-trichorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T). These two components were amalgamated together in even amounts; but in 1970, TCCD, which is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlordibenzo-p-dioxin, was discovered as a contaminant in the (2,4,5-T). This unwanted substance is recognized as one of the most toxic dioxins (Hoenemeyer 1), a teratogen, and a carcinogen (Hoenemeyer 1). Specifically, he name Agent Orange was coined for the stripes of orange on the barrels in which it was stored (Schecter 1). The inhabitant of these barrels was an herbicide used to kill plants in order to make base/camp grounds and reduce hiding spots for enemies. Most of the drums of the plant killer were kept in Da Nang, which may be a place of more concern since most Agent Orange was present ( The US Begins Agent Orange Clean-Up in Vietnam 1).

3 After deciding which herbicide to use, the US Army s Chemical Corps conducted Operation Ranch Hand to disperse Agent Orange. In South Vietnam, airplanes sprayed 95% of the chemical used, while 5% was applied by helicopters and men on the ground (Young 1). The military also used trucks and river boats. These different methods were used to remove the foliage, so construction could commence wherever the military believed a base should be. The Agent Orange was sprayed to reduce the foliage so construction could commence (Hoenemeyer 1). Areas around the base as well as other possible enemy hide outs were misted to reduce the amount of plant cover for the North Vietnamese/Viet-Kong ( The US Begins Agent Orange Clean-Up in Vietnam 1). However, from walking through the sprayed jungle, many military personnel (of both sides) were exposed to the harsh chemicals of Agent Orange through direct contact, inhalation, or accidental consumption (Young 1). The men who were exposed, from then on, have a higher chance of developing cancer. Specifically, prostate cancer has been linked to veterans who came in contact with Agent Orange (Martha 1). The toxic TCDD that contaminated the chemical is very

4 persistent in human tissue (Schecter 1).Other medical issues such as birth defects, skin disorders, hepatic dysfunction, porphyria, peripheral neuropathy, and impaired immune functions are associated (Sun-Rock Moo, et al. 2). Some of the affects being fatal, the Vietnamese government believes that Agent Orange has killed roughly 400,000 people and has caused 150, ,000 birth defects ( The US Begins Agent Orange Clean-Up in Vietnam 1). Astonishingly, the statistics do not even apply to all the people who have faced the consequences of Agent Orange. Many other countries deployed parts of their military to fight in the Vietnam War. High numbers of soldiers contributed: Australia and New Zealand deployed 46,852 military personnel, the government of Thailand contributed 11,790 military personnel, the Republic of Korea sent 312,853 military personnel, and 2,644,000 military personnel from the United States served within the borders of South Vietnam (Young 1). These countries altogether made an immense force to fight against communism as well as produce more victims to Agent Orange. Unfortunately, of the many thousand Korean troops who also fought in the war, an estimated 100,000 soldiers are still affected by Agent

5 Orange. These men have to use high levels of powerful pain-killers to lessen the symptoms; although scientists have conducted new studies to experiment with the use of Qi therapy. This type of therapy deals with manipulating energetic flow throughout the body and for this experiment is practiced by Qi masters. After seven days of Qi treatment, the test subjects symptoms became better and more tolerable (Sun-Rock Moo, et al. 2-3). The side-effects, methods of use, and background/chemical components of Agent Orange all show the responsibility for cleaning up toxic chemicals. The US has finally started the clean-up project and is teaming up with the Vietnamese government to do so. The united countries will remove all the soil with traces of the contaminant and will be put through thermal desorption, which is the process of destroying the dioxin by heating the soil to 335 C. Although, the Agent Orange is now being dealt with, the chemical has caused large amounts of damage to nature and to people who were exposed. This consequential misfortune, although very harmful, helps to provide an

6 example so that next time chemicals are needed in warfare, the battle of taking responsibility for the toxins will be won.