December 6, 2016
Agent Orange Chemical Research Paper
“Operation Ranch Hand” was a war tactic used by the United States government during the Vietnam war, its purpose was to clear forests, but the consequences were far greater. From 1961 to 1971, a chemical was sprayed over the entire country of Vietnam, leaving 200,000 people affected by the harmful toxin (Dioxin, 2015). The chemical used is called Agent Orange. Its use was discontinued after it was banned in 1971 by the United States (n.a, 2016). However, the ban came too late and provided no relief for the Vietnamese that are still dealing with the consequences of exposure to Agent Orange. Agent Orange was originally sprayed to kill all the trees in Vietnam so the Vietnamese soldiers would not be able to hide in the jungle, but it had a disastrous effect on more than the forest.
The main purpose of the chemical research was to discover what the long-term effects of Agent Orange were …show more content…
The use of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War had far greater negative consequences than positive. However it resulted in the banning of Agent Orange. This ban will insure that future generations are safer and healthier in terms of chemical exposure. In the past, the government has used Agent Orange as a weapon of war. Due to concerns associated with the use of chemicals, including Agent Orange during military conflicts, countries have made rules prohibiting or restricting the use of chemicals in warfare. Their actions will benefit all of mankind. Agent Orange is a very detrimental chemical, but this enormous accident could have been prevented had more scientific research been conducted prior to use in battle. If the United States government would have known the negative effects Agent Orange would have on the innocent citizens and soldiers, this disaster could have been