Other Information Concerning Agent Orange

            This historical background of Agent Orange revolves around war, specifically the roots of chemical warfare found in World War I, and the full-blown use of chemical weapons and biological agents in Vietnam. Large-scale use of chemical weapons first occurred in 1915 during World War I, when German troops released chlorine gas from cylinders as the wind blew toward French lines a few hundred yards away. The yellow-green cloud enveloped the French soldiers, who choked and panicked. As the war continued, phosgene and other chemical weapons were used, culminating with Germany’s introduction of mustard gas in 1917. By the end of the war in 1918, all the major powers had used chemical weapons. The specific discovery of Agent Orange was developed in order to counter Viet-Cong activity in the jungles of Vietnam. Although rice patties and other farms were abandoned as war enveloped North Vietnam, North Vietnamese military units could still harvest the food and sustain their forces. Endeavoring to neutralize this clear-cut advantage of Vietnamese forces, America developed the herbicide Agent Orange prior to 1960. Agent Orange was eventually distributed across North Vietnam in 1962. Following the distribution of the herbicide Agent Orange, American forces surged across the 17^th parallel. Although Agent Orange was well thought out in the military sense, it was hardly considered in the health manner. American troops were constantly exposed to the remnants of Agent Orange, and as such experienced the harmful affects of the dioxins produced from the herbicide (affects can be found in the Vietnam page). Since Agent Orange is a biological agent that was confined to the use of one war, Agent Orange can not be adequately assigned a natural abundance on earth (it does not naturally occur). However, Agent Orange can be obtained through a manufacturing process as employed by DOW under its contract with the government.

Chemical Properties/ Reaction Tendencies:

            Agent Orange has a very unique chemical property. Agent Orange produces a dioxin, a cancer-causing agent. This cancer-causing agent is one of the most toxic materials known to man on the molecular level. Oddly, it was utilized by the army as an herbicide, however, now it is obvious that it is far more effective as a biological warfare weapon. As an herbicide, Agent Orange reacts with plants and foliage in a manner that rapidly and effectively ravages plant life and clears jungles. Herbicides generally work by disrupting the growth of roots or interfering with the process of photosynthesis. Agent Orange specifically reacted with plant life by disrupting the plants metabolism. However, it also had carcinogenic affects on humans, if exposed to it.