This part of the archive will discuss the usage and failure of Agent Orange in Vietnam
Archive one
This archive is a map that shows the exact amount of each of the defoliant chemicals in the “Agent” designation that was dropped from 1965 to 1970 in each specific area of vietnam. The map breaks down the areas and then the proceeding charts (see link in Bibliography) break down the specific usage per year per area.
This was made by the Vietnam Veterans against the Vietnam war and it was compiled from military data by George W. Ewalt, Jr. in 1984.
Analysis
Despite a huge amount of defoliant and strategic use the US caused more damage to itself, alies, and the land long term than it did affect the course of the war. They dropped an enormous amount of agent orange and killed huge amounts of jungle but it did very little in stopping the north nor did it help the americans win like they anticipated. The north used the jungle to its advantage a huge amount but defoliant use didn’t make it any easier to fight them nor did it slow them down much. This is the effect of dropping the majority over south Vietnam to slow the north’s progression. The Vietnam veterans against the war has been a huge compiler of military information and the organization helps show the devastation the US caused.
Archive Two
My next piece is a journal from a soldier during the operation ranch hand, agent orange missions. This journal was written in 1964 and depicts several days and nights, the various mission and base stories.
Analysis
This journal shows the direct stories from a soldier who flew missions spraying agent orange and it shows the blind and unnecessary usage affecting the south vetnamese. During a mission they flew and sprayed a farm, “I thought for sure they were going to start taking pot shots at us” they sprayed up the south coast and then saw people moving on that farm before they headed there and sprayed it. This was completely unnecessary and caused a farmer to lose his land, his future children to face high chances of birth defects and he himself could easily have died from exposure. The widespread usage and senseless destruction hurt the south more than the north and the resulting destruction lasted far more than the war. The men executing the missions were convinced they were doing a good thing and they did their job haphazardly since it was “just spraying” what would happen if they weren’t pin point accurate, the damage caused by the mishandling alone of agent orange is far beyond what should have been tolerable.
Archive Three
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5944896/
This is an editorial in a historical archive, that was used to make a full article about agent orange and its long term resulting health impacts on everyone who came in contact. It was created recently but compiles data from many military documents from the time.
Analysis
This piece demonstrates the scale of use, the affected areas, and then talks about the long term health effects and lasting effects. It also depicts the complete failure of the government to protect the soldiers from exposure despite knowing agent orange was a deadly chemical. The technology and use were effective in what was planned out but the results were not beneficial to the war and rather damaged the south for generations to come.
See bibliography for citations!
Archive Project 