Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide and defoliant of synthetic origin, was used by the US Armed Forces during the Vietnam War (1961-1971). The so-called Ranch... 10.08.2023, Sputnik Africa
On August 10, 1961, after US President John F. Kennedy's authorization, the US military first used this notoriously harmful mixture of defoliants and herbicides known as Agent Orange in Vietnam.The purpose of spraying the toxin was to destroy vegetation in order to ferret out units of the North Vietnamese army and the guerrillas of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. The sweeping use of these toxic chemicals by American troops has led to devastating consequences. Mangrove forests (500,000 hectares) were almost completely destroyed, 60% (about 1 million hectares) of jungles and 30% (more than 100,000 hectares) of lowland forests suffered disastrous effects. Since 1960, the yield of rubber plantations has plunged 75%. Moreover, Vietnamese children who survived the chemical attack were born with deformed skulls, without eyes, nose, or limbs. At best, many were diagnosed with dementia. In total, About 4.8 million Vietnamese have been exposed to chemicals and more than 3 million others, namely, second, third and even fourth generation offspring are still suffering from pain and illness even though the war ended almost 50 years ago.Take a look at Sputnik's photo gallery covering the horrific outcomes from the American military's use of Agent Orange on the people of Vietnam.
Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide and defoliant of synthetic origin, was used by the US Armed Forces during the Vietnam War (1961-1971). The so-called Ranch Hand program has become the most infamous case of employing a scorched earth tactic involving the use of chemical weapons in the history of mankind.
On August 10, 1961, after US President John F. Kennedy's authorization, the US military first used this notoriously harmful mixture of defoliants and herbicides known as Agent Orange in Vietnam.
The purpose of spraying the toxin was to destroy vegetation in order to ferret out units of the North Vietnamese army and the guerrillas of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam.
The sweeping use of these toxic chemicals by American troops has led to devastating consequences. Mangrove forests (500,000 hectares) were almost completely destroyed, 60% (about 1 million hectares) of jungles and 30% (more than 100,000 hectares) of lowland forests suffered disastrous effects. Since 1960, the yield of rubber plantations has plunged 75%.
Moreover, Vietnamese children who survived the chemical attack were born with deformed skulls, without eyes, nose, or limbs. At best, many were diagnosed with dementia.
In total, About 4.8 million Vietnamese have been exposed to chemicals and more than 3 million others, namely, second, third and even fourth generation offspring are still suffering from pain and illness even though the war ended almost 50 years ago.
Take a look at Sputnik's photo gallery covering the horrific outcomes from the American military's use of Agent Orange on the people of Vietnam.
Twelve-year-old Pham Quoc Huy, who is suffering from what his parents say are the effects of the jungle defoliant Agent Orange, is comforted by his mother on a bamboo cot in their home, Feb. 19, 2000.
Former North Vietnamese platoon commander Nguyen Van Quy, 52, points to the Kontum area of central Vietnam on a map showing in red where US wartime forces sprayed the notorious toxic defoliant, Agent Orange, in Hanoi 08 June 2007.
Sculptures by local students representing disabled child victims of the defoliant Agent Orange used by the US military during the Vietnam War are on display along a street in Ho Chi Minh-City, 18 September 2004.
Nguyen Thi Van Long, 19, left, from Nam Dinh province makes paper flowers with her classmates at the Vietnam Friendship Village for children and veterans believed to be suffering from the effects of Agent Orange on the outskirts of Hanoi, Vietnam, Friday, March 11, 2005.
Maps of the dioxin-contaminated area around Danang airport are displayed during a ceremony marking the start of a project to clean up dioxin left over from the Vietnam War, at a former U.S. military base in Danang, Vietnam, Thursday, Aug. 9, 2012.
A Vietnamese Airforce soldier sits guarding the entrance to a dioxin-contaminated area at Danang airport, a former US airbase, where a ground-breaking ceremony of the joint US-Vietnam Dioxin Cleaning Project was held on August 9, 2012.
