Agent Orange and Its Lasting Impact

GS 3 – DEFENCE

Context:

Fifty years after the Vietnam War (1955-1975), millions of Vietnamese continue to suffer from the devastating effects of Agent Orange. This toxic herbicide was sprayed by U.S. forces to destroy forests and food crops that provided cover and sustenance to North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops. Between 1961 and 1971, around 74 million liters of herbicidal chemicals were sprayed over South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, with over half of this being Agent Orange.

Impact of Agent Orange

• Soil Persistence: While Agent Orange itself broke down within days or weeks, its harmful component, dioxin, could persist in sun-exposed soil for up to three years.
• Food Chain Contamination: When buried or embedded in riverbeds and sediments, the half-life of dioxin extended to over 100 years, allowing it to enter the food chain through fish, ducks, and other animals.
• Human Exposure: Humans could be exposed to contaminated dust by inhalation or absorption through the skin. Once inside the body, dioxin can remain for up to 20 years.

Health Impacts:

Exposure to Agent Orange has been linked to various health problems, including cancer, diabetes, and birth defects such as spina bifida, oral clefts, and cardiovascular abnormalities.

The Vietnam War

The Vietnam War (1955–1975) was an armed conflict fought primarily in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia, between North Vietnam and South Vietnam, with the Soviet Union and China supporting North Vietnam, and the United States and other anti-communist countries backing South Vietnam. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and served as a proxy conflict during the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States.