Week 8_Natalie Lortz_ASA 150E

We have covered in class the devastating effects of Agent Orange and its lasting impacts on Viet Nam even today. What Wilcox covers in Scorched Earth, is not only the effects on Vietnamese citizens, but the effects on Viet Nam War veterans after they have returned home. Many, if not most soldiers died shortly after returning home from the Viet Nam War; Evidence shows it was probably due to Agent Orange defects. Regardless of how much destruction Agent Orange reeked on American veterans, it does not compare to the millions of Vietnamese in future and current generations that were affected. Miscarriages, rashes, cancers, and babies born with short lives, defects, physical, and mental handicaps are all due to high levels of dioxin in the blood. The United States can not claim Agent Orange did not cause these negative effects because in 1991, legislation passed the "Agent Orange Act", a policy that gave Viet Nam War Veterans healthcare and disability compensation.

Agent Orange possesses a toxin called dioxin, which has been described as the "most toxic, small man made molecule we know of". In animal lab testing, monkeys who were not previously exposed to infected areas (of Viet Nam) were treated with minute amounts and deteriorated quickly, living only between one to four months after, before dying from a failure of bone marrow elements. In 1925 the Geneva Protocol stated that no country could spray poison gases, particularly herbicides such as dioxin onto other countries. In response to accusations of violating this protocol, the U.S. responded by saying they did not hurt the dignity of the Vietnamese people, so it could not be considered "inhuman treatment". It is interesting how the judge argued the United States had "no intention to destroy any group". But, isn't that the point of war? If you are not willing to deal with the consequences, then do not do the crime. To be fair, I do not think the U.S. even considered the consequences of the actions, so their nonsensical justification is understandable as their response. In a rush to finish the war and meet their high death toll requirement (No one made them inflict this requirement besides themselves).

What will take before people in power or at least people in war to gain some empathy or the ability to look at the larger picture? I truly believe the U.S. will not give reparations to the Vietnamese until they are somehow afflicted with chemical warfare themselves, or can understand exactly how the Vietnamese must feel.