Destruction, Grief, and Relief: an Oral History of Agent Orange
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Use of Agent Orange “That stuff is just a killer” – John B. Wells Agent Orange is a chemical defoliant that was prominently used by the United States military during the Vietnam War. The herbicide got its name from the bright orange markings painted on the drums it was stored and transported in. The use of Agent Orange was a strategic one for the United States. Traditional American war strategies involved overpowering enemy forces with firepower, but the Vietnamese landscape was filled with jungles, which hindered their ability to use the weaponry they wanted to. The solution was to spray chemicals over the jungles to kill the foliage and clear the way for troops and weapons. By removing the jungle, cover for Vietnamese forces as well as some of their food crops were destroyed. It is estimated that the United States sprayed between 10 and 12 million gallons of Agent Orange, destroying 4.5 million acres of the Vietnamese landscape in the process. While the only intended target of Agent Orange was the Vietnamese landscape, and occasionally Vietnamese crops, many humans, including many United States soldiers, were exposed as well.
Destruction, Grief, and Relief: an Oral History of Agent Orange
Destruction, Grief, and Relief: an Oral…
Destruction, Grief, and Relief: an Oral History of Agent Orange
Use of Agent Orange “That stuff is just a killer” – John B. Wells Agent Orange is a chemical defoliant that was prominently used by the United States military during the Vietnam War. The herbicide got its name from the bright orange markings painted on the drums it was stored and transported in. The use of Agent Orange was a strategic one for the United States. Traditional American war strategies involved overpowering enemy forces with firepower, but the Vietnamese landscape was filled with jungles, which hindered their ability to use the weaponry they wanted to. The solution was to spray chemicals over the jungles to kill the foliage and clear the way for troops and weapons. By removing the jungle, cover for Vietnamese forces as well as some of their food crops were destroyed. It is estimated that the United States sprayed between 10 and 12 million gallons of Agent Orange, destroying 4.5 million acres of the Vietnamese landscape in the process. While the only intended target of Agent Orange was the Vietnamese landscape, and occasionally Vietnamese crops, many humans, including many United States soldiers, were exposed as well.