The Chemical That Changed Vietnam
How America’s vendetta for freedom during the Cold War devastated a country for years to come.
The United States is a country with an infamous reputation of upholding freedom, justice, and civil liberties at all costs. Yet, the very values that America strives to uphold, can lead down the path of destruction. It may shock one to learn of American transgressions against the people of Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and when American forces walked the treacherous path of chemical warfare, in what could be considered a war crime.
Entering into the Vietnamese civil war to stop the ever-growing threat of the Red Menace at the time, the US soon found itself entangled deep in a guerrilla war against the Soviet and Chinese backed Viet Cong, the North Vietnamese forces, while technologically outgunned, often had the upper hand in the fighting due to their familiarity and utilization of the densely packed forests and highlands. Something they used heavily to ambush the South Vietnamese and American forces. A tactic the American’s used to counter the North Vietnamese forces was the use of chemical herbicides in Operation Ranch Hand.
The Legacy of Operation Ranch Hand
Operation Ranch Hand was a part of the American chemical warfare program which was launched with the aim of denying the North Vietnamese of both cover and food supplies. Operation Ranch Hand used a range of chemicals to achieve this goal, these became known as the “Rainbow herbicides”. It was named as such due to the stripes painted on the barrel used to identify the different chemicals, although there were nine different herbicides, I will be focusing on Agent Orange today.
Agent Orange is a potent herbicide, which would be sprayed over forests to kill the vegetation and deny the North Vietnamese forces of cover. This was vital as the rainforest allowed the Viet Cong to sneak up on the American and South Vietnamese forces. While it was in use in Vietnam, Agent Orange was effectively deployed to decimate thousands of hectares of Vietnamese countryside
However, the herbicide didn’t just harm the vegetation, but also anyone indirectly or directly exposed to it.
The use of Agent Orange had serious health effects on anyone exposed to it as it contained dioxin. Dioxin is highly toxic and caused severe health problems. These health issues ranged from liver damage, immune system dysfunction, nerve disorders, hormone disruptions to cancer. Dioxin was especially bad for fetuses and was linked to problems during child development. Many unborn children who were exposed to it suffered from underdeveloped brains and nervous systems, with many dying in the womb.
The use of Agent Orange still haunts the Vietnamese public, as those fetuses exposed were born with birth defects such as Spina bifida, Esophageal atresia, Congenital heart disease, Poland syndrome, and many more.
The Red Cross of Vietnam estimates around one million people have health problems and disabilities linked to the use of Agent Orange, however, the American government has described the figures as “unreliable”.
The aftermath
Agent Orange had a profound effect on Vietnam, and it isn’t expected to end anytime soon. Operation Ranch Hand caused the destruction of over 20,000 square kilometers of forests and cropland. America dropped an estimated 20 million gallons of herbicides onto the once lush forests of Vietnam. A large enough amount of herbicide for it to still be present in the soil today, and for it to have entered the food chain, meaning that many people are still exposed to it 45 years later.
The American government’s attempt at curbing Communism in east Asia failed in the end. With American soldiers leaving Vietnam on 29th March 1973, and Saigon falling to North Vietnamese forces only two years later on April 30th, 1975, thus ending the civil war. But while the war had ended the effects of it are still to be felt for years to come. The US has permanently shifted the ecosystem of Vietnam with no regard to the devastating effects it would have on the people and nature, which begs the question. What is the true cost of freedom?
