Friday, March 30, 2018

42 Years Later: Americans and Vietnamese Are Still at War


Vietnamese Agent Orange poster

By Kerry Hadrava

It has been nearly 43 years since the conclusion of the Vietnam War, however veterans and their families and people living in Vietnam are still left with another battle.

Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide sprayed in millions of gallons across the landscapes of Vietnam to control plant growth in battle zones, has an extreme high level of toxicity. Soldiers and civilians who came into contact with it or its affected regions during the war are still experiencing its adverse effects decades later.
  
According to the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA), it is estimated that over 4.8 million people living in Vietnam have been exposed to this toxic chemical and over 3 million have been suffering from a variety of diseases including various types of cancer as well as birth defects and deformities.

Although the United States has admitted responsibility for Agent Orange being the cause of numerous health issues for U.S. veterans and their families, those struggling overseas have yet to get adequate help or recognition they are in need of. A large part of this story remains untold.


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