When it comes to war, armies must sometimes introduce an alternative plan in order to gain the upper hand over the enemy. When the Americans were at war with the Vietnamese decades ago, they planned to use herbicides as a new strategic asset against their adversaries. By spraying defoliating agents over the forests of Vietnam, hidden enemies would be exposed, and the crops that they harvested as food would also be destroyed. In 1962, defoliation missions ordered by the U.S. military commenced, which eventually sparked anxiety among certain individuals. A couple years after the operations began, scientists questioned the use of chemical defoliants because there were not enough studies on them, and they were worried about the way they were used.
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Agent Orange in particular made them worried, because it contained a contaminant called dioxin (or TCDD), which is now recognized as a human carcinogen. One study found that some war veterans had “TCDD levels up to 600 ppt in lipid many years after they had left Viet Nam, compared with values of approximately 1–2 ppt of TCDD for the general population” (IARC 343). Those numbers were unsettling for soldiers who served their country during the war. Dioxin contamination could also be passed on to the newborns of infected parents, which was another source of anxiety. The veterans, however, did not stay quiet and keep their worries to themselves. Many of them, such as Paul Reutershan, have been diagnosed with cancer awhile after coming home. He blamed Agent Orange exposure as the cause of his illness, and later founded the Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Victims organization. In 1978, the organization “filed a $10 million lawsuit against Dow, Monsanto, Diamond Shamrock, and Hercules– manufacturers of Agent Orange” (Hanafin). Later that year, Reutershan died of his cancer, and “In 1984, the Agent Orange Class Action lawsuit was settled for $180 million” (Hanafin). It was the largest court settlement to date, saving the targeted corporations from further public controversy. Even though the veteran organization gained more …show more content…
military in Vietnam, were the cause of anxiety among both scientists and veterans. Operation Ranch Hand helped American fighters stay safe from enemies previously hidden in dense jungles. A few years after the spraying missions began, the scientific community was worried about the unknown long-term effects side effects of the exposure to the herbicides, and eventually directly addressed the president about the issue. Years after the war ended, veterans were concerned that their health problems were caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and later filed lawsuits against the manufacturers. It’s no question that the man to man combat in Vietnam was not the only battle being fought. The uprising against defoliating agents in itself was a war, with scientists and veterans on the front lines. And, with the way that the U.S. Government and the herbicide manufacturers handled the situation, some would say that the battle over defoliants still isn’t
Agent Orange in particular made them worried, because it contained a contaminant called dioxin (or TCDD), which is now recognized as a human carcinogen. One study found that some war veterans had “TCDD levels up to 600 ppt in lipid many years after they had left Viet Nam, compared with values of approximately 1–2 ppt of TCDD for the general population” (IARC 343). Those numbers were unsettling for soldiers who served their country during the war. Dioxin contamination could also be passed on to the newborns of infected parents, which was another source of anxiety. The veterans, however, did not stay quiet and keep their worries to themselves. Many of them, such as Paul Reutershan, have been diagnosed with cancer awhile after coming home. He blamed Agent Orange exposure as the cause of his illness, and later founded the Vietnam Veterans Agent Orange Victims organization. In 1978, the organization “filed a $10 million lawsuit against Dow, Monsanto, Diamond Shamrock, and Hercules– manufacturers of Agent Orange” (Hanafin). Later that year, Reutershan died of his cancer, and “In 1984, the Agent Orange Class Action lawsuit was settled for $180 million” (Hanafin). It was the largest court settlement to date, saving the targeted corporations from further public controversy. Even though the veteran organization gained more …show more content…
military in Vietnam, were the cause of anxiety among both scientists and veterans. Operation Ranch Hand helped American fighters stay safe from enemies previously hidden in dense jungles. A few years after the spraying missions began, the scientific community was worried about the unknown long-term effects side effects of the exposure to the herbicides, and eventually directly addressed the president about the issue. Years after the war ended, veterans were concerned that their health problems were caused by exposure to Agent Orange, and later filed lawsuits against the manufacturers. It’s no question that the man to man combat in Vietnam was not the only battle being fought. The uprising against defoliating agents in itself was a war, with scientists and veterans on the front lines. And, with the way that the U.S. Government and the herbicide manufacturers handled the situation, some would say that the battle over defoliants still isn’t