The outcome of the Vietnam War and its horrors is undeniably engrained in the American psyche, often with mentions of the war invoking a feeling of catharsis and guilt. For many troops who served during the period, their traumatic experience encapsulates the human cost of armed conflict. Even after decades of its official end, the ramifications of the Vietnam War still continues to adversely affect the Vietnamese families that were historically involved. Known as Operation Ranch Hand, this extensive and silently lethal US military operation sought to undermine the Viet Cong by disrupting their use of guerrilla jungle warfare and by means of accelerating starvation among communist troops and sympathizing communities. From 1961 to 1971, the US military sprayed over 45 million liters of Agent Orange in over 30 provinces in Vietnam, which was used as an organic herbicide to destroy rice fields and jungle overlay. While failing to achieve its intended purpose to wipe out vast swathes of jungle, the poisonous compound has since integrated itself into local water supplies, the region's soil and into the bodies of unsuspecting civilians. Today, the disastrous policy has gradually taken effect to unleash devastating socioeconomic, health and environmental consequences upon the affected Vietnamese populace.
Agent Orange is considered to be part of a group of toxic chemical compounds known as persistent organic pollutants (POPs). It contains dioxin which is an environmental pollutant that can wreak havoc when exposed to the human physiology. Once the substance enters the body, they are able to enact persistent harm, which can transcend generations by affecting both somatic and reproductive cells. Attributed to various cancers, dioxin also affects a number of organ systems in its victims. It is estimated that around 2.1 to 4.8 million Vietnamese have been exposed to Agent Orange. Despite decades of its discontinuation in usage, the damage has persisted within lineages of families affected by the grievous toxin. In the first generation of exposure, the impacts of the toxin resulted in higher rates of cancer among those exposed. However, subsequent generations revealed that the harrowing discovery that Agent Orange was responsible for birth defects and mental underdevelopment and retardation. It is estimated that tens of thousands of people were born with serious birth defects including spina bifida, cerebral palsy, physical and intellectual disabilities and missing or deformed extremities. Despite the prevalence of Agent Orange victims, there is limited research and humanitarian assistance allocated to the family of the victims. Of the conducted studies, the research suggests that the heavily polluted landscape has yet to be decontaminated, which still poses a threat to the existing food chain.
For many of these Vietnamese families, their plight is often forgotten or neglected. Even after reports of the grotesque effects of the toxin, the US military still refuses to claim full responsibility for the incident. Alleged, they were aware of the toxic effects of the defoliant before its widespread dispersal. Agent Orange is still a topic of political and legal contention between the US and Vietnam. As of now, there are limited options for compensating the victims and their families, but the scope of these government programs fail to address the underlying issue of providing for sickening people. Despite mutual collaboration between the US and Vietnam, the issue of Agent Orange is still unresolved as no party is officially liable for the suffering of affected victims.
Agent Orange also affected US veterans who were exposed when handling the toxic material. Despite facing decades of tribulations, the US government has agreed to compensate afflicted veterans suffering from the health ailments of Agent Orange. A total of $13.3 billion was allocated to the effort to support American Agent Orange victims. In contrast, only a mere $12 million dollars was designated for Agent Orange relief in Vietnam. This disparity in funding highlights the selective attention of the US when it comes to dealing with the ramifications of their disastrous handiwork. It's absolutely illogical to selectively acknowledge the effects of Agent Orange when it comes to disrupting human health. Consequently, advocates for Vietnamese victims have taken measures to direct international attention to the heartrending reality that the survivors face.