Agent Orange

AGENT O

RANGE

AL I SHA V

INCENT

The effects of Agent Orange were more

detrimental to American soldiers and Vietnamese exposed to the chemical then

beneficial to the military pursuit on

communism in Vietnam.

A herbicide mainly used in the Vietnam War to defoliate forests (Veterans Affairs).

40% of South Vietnam foliage was destroyed from the spraying of Agent Orange

Agent Orange is a mixture of common chemicals used in making herbicides (Tucker).

The chemicals used to make agent orange are 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (Tucker).

USES AND MAKE-UP OF AGENT ORANGE

Some soldier that were exposed to agent orange got diseases (Veteran Affairs).

It is thought that veterans contracted certain cancers and other diseases from being exposed to agent orange (Veteran Affairs).

Some soldiers exposed to the chemical got Chlorance or suffered from impaired liver function (VVNW)

EFFECTS ON SOLDIERS

Vietnamese and American children of soldiers have been born with many different types of birth defects because of agent orange (Veteran Affairs).

Children of Veterans were born with Spina bifida (Veteran Affairs).

BIRTH DEFECTS

Congress took actions towards getting compensation for veterans that were injured by Agent Orange (Facts On File).

It took a long time for the United States to address the medical problem caused by Agent Orange (Facts On File).

In 1984 Congress passed the Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act (Facts On File).

Class Action Lawsuits were filed against the companies that produced Agent Orange (VVNW).

ACTIONS TAKEN

http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE52&iPin=WPA0937&SingleRecord=True

QUOTE “Doesn’t it ever end?” (Kenneth

Feinberg )

Still today children with birth defects are being born due to the exposure to Agent Orange. There are “hot spots”, place were there are high levels of dioxins present ,which are still effecting Vietnam citizens. Agent Orange is believed to be effecting current generations. The amount of children being born with birth defects seems like it was never going to stop. Agent Orange has created a wide range of disabilities that are effecting the children and grandchildren of people that were exposed to agent orange.

QUOTE “I had skin cancer right up to my elbow and my

hands looked horrible… Also I spent a year in the hospital due to a blood disorder.” (Gary Thomas)

Not only were Vietnamese citizens and soldier effected by Agent orange. American soldiers were also effected by the chemical. Agent Orange had big impact on the health of soldiers. It caused many young health Americans to be diagnosed with life threatening diseasing.

During the Vietnam War the United States sprayed over 10 million gallons of Agent Orange all over South Vietnam to remove foliage that the enemy could hide in. Though agent orange helped US troops and South Vietnamese troop locate the enemy it also caused a lot of damage. At least forty percent of south Vietnams forest area was destroyed. (Agent Orange Records)

Agent Orange not only killed the plants but killed live stock living near areas that were sprayed with the chemical. The animals would eat food that was exposed which would kill them. This also was a problem for the citizens of Vietnam. The Vietnamese consumed food effected by the chemical which resulted in the death of many people (Agent Orange Record).

Many soldiers that were exposed to Agent Orange were diagnosed with some sort of a diseases. There are numerous disease that soldiers contracted from being exposed, like certain cancers and impaired liver function (VVNW). Eventually veteran did receive compensation for the injuries Agent Orange caused. Congress passed the Veterans' Dioxin and Radiation Exposure Compensation Standards Act in 1984 (Facts on File).

Soldier that were exposed to Agent Orange had children with birth defects. There are many birth defects that are thought to be the results of at least one of their parent being exposed to agent orange. Agent Orange caused genetic damage to occur in children of soldiers.

WORK CITED Wilcox, Fred A. "Agent Orange." In Burch, Susan, ed. Encyclopedia of

American Disability History. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?

ItemID=WE52&iPin=EADH0016&SingleRecord=True (accessed June 4, 2012).

"Vietnam Veterans Lobby for Compensation ." The WPA Film Library. WMV video file. American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE52&iPin=WPA0937&SingleRecord=True (accessed June 4, 2012).

"Vietnam Veterans Lobby for Compensation ." American History Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE52&iPin=WPA0937&SingleRecord=True (accessed June 4, 2012).

Tucker, Spencer C. "Agent Orange." World History: The Modern Era. ABC-CLIO, 2012. Web. 6 June 2012.

. "Facts About Herbicides." United States Department of Veteran Affairs. Veteran Affairs, 28/2/12. Web. 10 Jun 2012. <http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/basics.asp>. 

. "Agent Orange." Veterans of the Vietnam War. Veterans of the Vietnam War Inc. , n.d. Web. 10 Jun 2012. <http://www.vvnw.org/educational_material/agent_orange.htm>.

. "Veterans' Diseases Associated With Agent Orange." United States Department of Veteran Affairs. Veteran Affairs, 8/5/12. Web. 10 Jun 2012. <http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/diseases.asp>.