In Scorched Earth: Legacy of Chemical Warfare in Vietnam, author Fred A. Wilcox examines the effects of Agent Orange on the land and its people, directly and indirectly impacting its victims even years after the war has ended. It’s not simply the generation of those alive when the toxins were first sprayed that were forced to cope with the devastation and resulting health consequences; their children and their children’s children experienced a similar fate, bearing with the agony caused by chemical warfare from decades prior.
He describes the experience of veteran Ken Herrmann in raising awareness for the victims and aiding the families devastated by Agent Orange. Requesting letters written about the full extent of the effects it had on their loved ones and their ensuing lifestyle, he received over 4000 replies from direct victims themselves and those indirectly affected. Reading through the personal accounts of the destruction, hearing firsthand the suffering, it’s incredibly moving and powerful. The American government, however, refuses to acknowledge the agony of the Vietnamese, undermining the true impact of Agent Orange, dismissing the full scale of the anguish it has dealt to the population. Instead, this cycle of pain and misery continues, passed onto the following generations, receiving little to no help from the country at fault.
Question: Wilcox suggests that if these multitude of letters were sent to the government to fully encapsulate the devastation of chemical warfare, more people would be willing to help the victims of Agent Orange. How then can we raise awareness when some actively resist, refusing to acknowledge it as something more than communist conspiracy?
Image Source: https://www.military.com/benefits/veterans-health-care/agent-orange.html
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