Agent Orange During the Vietnam War: The Lingering Issue of Its Civilian and Military Health Impact

摘要

Between 1961 and 1971, USand Republic of Vietnam forcessprayed more than 20.2 milliongallons of military herbicidesto defoliate forests and mangrovesinwhatwas then SouthVietnamtodeny cover to enemy troops andmake bombing targets more visible.Relatively small quantities (2%)were used for defoliation of militarybase perimeters; 9% of the total wasused to destroy “unfriendly” cropsas a means of reducing enemy foodsupplies. The herbicides were alsoused in the United States, but atapplication rates at least an order ofmagnitude lower and with somewhatdiffering formulations.