Why was Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War?

Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide the U.S. military used to clear leaves and vegetation for military operations mainly during the Vietnam War. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange may have certain related cancers or other illnesses.

Why did US use Agent Orange in Vietnam War?

Agent Orange, mixture of herbicides that U.S. military forces sprayed in Vietnam from 1962 to 1971 during the Vietnam War for the dual purpose of defoliating forest areas that might conceal Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces and destroying crops that might feed the enemy.

What did Agent Orange do to humans?

Many medical conditions are associated with Agent Orange exposure. Diabetes, Parkinson's disease, and several forms of cancer are among the diseases caused by Agent Orange. If you were exposed to Agent Orange during military service, you may qualify for VA disability benefits.

What was Agent Orange used for before Vietnam?

According to military estimates of herbicide use, 90 percent of Agent Orange was used in Ranch Hand forest defoliation missions; 8 percent was used in Ranch Hand crop destruction missions; and 2 percent was sprayed from the ground around base perimeters and cache sites, waterways, and communication lines (NAS, 1974).

Who decided to use Agent Orange in Vietnam?

After a period of testing, on this day in 1962, President John F. Kennedy gave final approval to “Operation Ranch Hand” — a massive effort to defoliate the forests of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos with an herbicide known as Agent Orange.

Agent Orange (The Vietnam War)

Was Agent Orange a war crime in Vietnam?

Is the spraying of Agent Orange considered a war crime? No. The Environmental Modification Convention, put into effect in after the end of the Vietnam War, prohibits the military to use techniques having widespread, long-lasting or severe effects on the environment.

Can Agent Orange be passed from father to daughter?

There is currently no definitive evidence that a father's exposure to Agent Orange causes birth defects.

Why did the U.S. stop using Agent Orange?

The use of Agent Orange tapered off as the health effects of the agent became more and more apparent to Defense Department researchers. An estimated 19 million gallons of these chemical agents were sprayed over Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos during the war.

What birth defects did Americans get from Agent Orange?

Spina bifida (except spina bifida occulta), a defect in the developing fetus that results in incomplete closing of the spine, is associated with Veterans' exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides during qualifying service in Vietnam or Korea.

What are the 14 diseases associated with Agent Orange?

How many people have died from Agent Orange?

Legacy of Agent Orange in Vietnam

In addition to the massive environmental devastation of the U.S. defoliation program in Vietnam, that nation has reported that some 400,000 people were killed or maimed as a result of exposure to herbicides like Agent Orange.

What is the lifespan of Agent Orange?

Agent Orange has a short half-life of days and weeks after application to vegetation, and has not been found to persist, after 50 years, in the water or soils of southern Vietnam.

Are people still dying from Agent Orange?

“It was discovered while it was in use to have toxicities and carcinogenic properties. The VA moved through studies and reviews to properly assess that and then provide care for those people effected,” Hall said. Sklenar said Vietnam veterans are still dying every day from the effects of Agent Orange.

Is Agent Orange still a problem in Vietnam?

Nearly half a century since the end of the Vietnam War, there remains an urgent need for the United States and Vietnam to address the harmful legacy of Agent Orange, a defoliant sprayed by the U.S. military over parts of southern Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia — an area about the size of Massachusetts — that continues to ...

Did the US get in trouble for using Agent Orange?

The use of Agent Orange in Vietnam resulted in numerous legal actions. The United Nations ratified United Nations General Assembly Resolution 31/72 and the Environmental Modification Convention. Lawsuits filed on behalf of both U.S. and Vietnamese veterans sought compensation for damages.

Did the US take responsibility for Agent Orange?

America has never taken responsibility for spraying the herbicide over Laos during the Vietnam War. But generations of ethnic minorities have endured the consequences.

Can Agent Orange be passed down to grandchildren?

Agent Orange Continues To Plague Children And Grandchildren Of Veterans. Many Vietnam Veterans were exposed to a deadly nerve agent called “Agent Orange,” an herbicide used to clear foliage. Studies have shown the severe and deadly effects to babies born after military personnel was exposed to the deadly nerve agent.

How many Vietnam vets suffer from Agent Orange?

How many veterans have been exposed to Agent Orange? The VA estimates that 2.6 million veterans have been exposed to Agent Orange, but there are also other studies that indicate that the actual number of veterans exposed to Agent Orange is much higher than what the government is reporting.

What birth defects do Vietnamese children have from Agent Orange?

These included spina bifida, oral clefts, cardiovascular defects, hip dislocations and hypospadias. In addition, defects of the digestive tract and “other” neoplasms like neuroblastoma were also higher in Vietnam veterans' children.

Did soldiers know Agent Orange was toxic?

A 1990 report for the secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs found that the military knew that Agent Orange was harmful to personnel but took few precautions to limit exposure.

What did Agent Orange do to the soldiers?

Agent Orange was a tactical herbicide the U.S. military used to clear leaves and vegetation for military operations mainly during the Vietnam War. Veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange may have certain related cancers or other illnesses.

What is the truth about Agent Orange?

Agent Orange contained a toxic chemical called “dioxin” now associated with cancer, type 2 diabetes, nerve disorders, and heart disease. Soldiers who had “boots on the ground” in Vietnam were eligible for VA disability benefits when they returned home and could prove they'd been exposed to Agent Orange.

What is an Agent Orange baby?

Spina bifida is a spinal cord birth defect. A baby develops spina bifida while still in the womb. In some cases, a parent's past contact with specific chemicals causes this birth defect.

What did Agent Orange do to soldiers kids?

Common Birth Defects Caused by Agent Orange

Common birth defects include Spina bifida, Cleft lip, Congenital heart defects, limb defects such as missing or malformed fingers or toes, neural tube defects that cause problems to the brain or spinal cord, hernias, down syndrome, and other chromosomal disorders.

Do spouses get Agent Orange benefits?

Surviving spouses, dependent children and dependent parents of veterans who were exposed to Agent Orange and died as a result of a disease related to the exposure may be entitled to health care, education and home loan benefits.