Jo Hyun Jae

The latest JHJ news (Nov.24) mentions that JHJ’s father has been suffering from the side-effects of Agent Orange for many years.  Some readers may not know what Agent Orange is, so here is some information for your reference.

Agent Orange is the code name for a herbicide and defoliant used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War (1959-1975).  According to the post-war Vietnamese government, 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange, resulting in 400,000 deaths and disabilities, and 500,000 children born with birth defects.

From 1961 to 1971, Agent Orange was by far the most widely used in the herbicidal warfare program. During the production of Agent Orange, dioxins were produced as a contaminant, which have caused health problems for those exposed during the Vietnam War.

Early development

The earliest form of the compound triiodobenzoic acid was studied by Arthur Galston as a plant growth hormone. The research was motivated by the desire to adapt soybeans for short growing season.  Galston found that excessive usage of the compound caused catastrophic defoliation – a finding used by his colleague Ian Sussex to develop a family of herbicides. Galston was especially concerned about the compound’s side-effects on humans and the environment.

Description and effects on health

Agent Orange was given its name from the color of the 55 US gallons (210 L) orange-striped barrels it was shipped in.Three studies have suggested an increase in the risk of acute myelogenous leukemia in the children of Vietnam veterans, which might be associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Vietnamese children in the areas where Agent Orange was used have been badly affected and have multiple health problems including cleft palate, mental disabilities, hernias, and extra fingers and toes.

A UH-1D helicopter from the 336th Aviation Company sprays a defoliation agent on a dense jungle area in the Mekong Delta. 26 July 1969/National Archives photograph.

Use in the Vietnam War

During the Vietnam war, between 1962 and 1971, the United States military sprayed 77,000,000 litres of chemical defoliants in South Vietnam as part of a defoliant program. 20 percent of South Vietnam’s jungles were sprayed over a nine-year period. The first objective was to reduce the dense jungle foliage so that Communist forces might not use it for cover and to deny them use of crops needed for sustenance. In 1965, 42 percent of all herbicide spraying was dedicated to food crops. The second objective was spot clearing in sensitive areas such as around base perimeters.

In 1963, the United States (suspecting the negative effects) initiated a study on the health effects of Agent Orange that by 1967 confirmed that the chemical caused cancer, birth defects and other serious health problems. The outcome of the study had no effect whatsoever on the use of Agent Orange.

Use outside of Vietnam

Korea

In September 2000, the Veteran Administration (VA) acknowledged that Agent Orange was used in Korea in the late 1960s. Republic of Korea troops are reported to have done the spraying, which occurred along the demilitarized zone with North Korea.

South Korea’s involvement in the Vietnam War

The U.S. asked for help from its allies and South Korea, Thailand, and the Philippines all sent troops.  South Korea had the second-largest contingent of foreign troops in South Vietnam after the United States. The first South Korean troops began arriving in 1964 and large combat battalions began arriving a year later, with the South Koreans soon developing a reputation for effectiveness. Indeed arguably, they conducted counter-insurgency operations so well that American commanders felt that Korean area of responsibility was the safest.

This was further supported when Vietcong documents captured after the Tet Offensive warned their compatriots to never engage Koreans until full victory was certain. Approximately 320,000 South Korean soldiers were sent to Vietnam, each serving a one-year tour of duty. Maximum troop levels peaked at 50,000 in 1968; however, all were withdrawn by 1973. More than 5,000 South Koreans were killed and 11,000 were injured during the war.
(Credit: Information from Wikipedia, edited by wulijohyunjae.)