All children are in danger
The war in Vietnam brought many new types of chemical warfare to light. The U.S used things such as Agent Orange, agent blue, pineapple bombs, napalm, etc. to cripple the North Vietcong forces. Though the chemical weapons were efficient in wiping out crops and clearing paths for soldiers they brought harm to innocent civilians and especially children. The side effects of being exposed to these weapons meant death and worse, mothers would have children with birth defects.
Throughout history there have been many technological “achievements”, but nothing compares to that of the Vietnam War. During this time U.S soldiers had no prior experience in fighting in a jungle region like Vietnam. This led to the distribution of a chemical called Agent Orange. This would destroy the jungles so the soldiers could get around more easily. This chemical would paralyze the animals and the jungles would be “littered with decaying birds” (Wilcox). Later the soldiers were said to be “feeling dizzy, [begin] bleeding from the nose and mouth, suffer from debilitating skin rashes and violent headaches” (Wilcox) all after exposure. If the soldiers themselves were experiencing these effects what would happen when civilians were exposed?
Secondly, as the war escalated more of these chemicals were used against the Vietcong. Agent blue for example was soon to be used to kill the crops to supposedly cripple the food supplies of the Northerners. According to Spartacus Educational “between 1962 and 1969, 688,000 agricultural acres were sprayed with a chemical called Agent Blue”, this led to citizens going hungry due to bad rice harvest. Not only did the food supply diminish, but health conditions got worse, especially for the children.
Though, it was not the U.S’s intent to cause a substantial amount of health conditions, nothing could have prepared the Vietnamese people for the unknown effects of Agent Orange and Agent Blue. As more chemicals were sprayed the water supplies became more toxic. Pregnant mother’s would drink the water and later give birth to a deformed child. Fred Wilcox explains that “Three million Vietnamese people, including 500,000 children, are suffering from the tragic legacies of chemical warfare.” The children being born are not fully formed fetuses and most are missing limbs. If they do not survive birth most die within a few days. Even to this day “third and even fourth generation of Agent Orange babies have been born” (Wilcox). Awful tragedies led to the effects on the children and people must be informed.
Although many people from all over the world have heard about the war from 1965-1975 they do not know that children and adults are being affected over 30 years later. The devastation that has continued, children being born with deformities, dying before they have a chance to open their eyes, it is all awful. It is not fair that babies who have nothing to do with the prior mistakes people have made because of a war are being affected. This is why we must not let history repeat itself. Imagine if a nightmare like this occurred again, who knows how many generations will have to suffer. People must become informed and realize, in the words of Fred Wilcox, “We are the Vietnamese; they are us. We ignore their suffering at our own peril.”
Throughout history there have been many technological “achievements”, but nothing compares to that of the Vietnam War. During this time U.S soldiers had no prior experience in fighting in a jungle region like Vietnam. This led to the distribution of a chemical called Agent Orange. This would destroy the jungles so the soldiers could get around more easily. This chemical would paralyze the animals and the jungles would be “littered with decaying birds” (Wilcox). Later the soldiers were said to be “feeling dizzy, [begin] bleeding from the nose and mouth, suffer from debilitating skin rashes and violent headaches” (Wilcox) all after exposure. If the soldiers themselves were experiencing these effects what would happen when civilians were exposed?
Secondly, as the war escalated more of these chemicals were used against the Vietcong. Agent blue for example was soon to be used to kill the crops to supposedly cripple the food supplies of the Northerners. According to Spartacus Educational “between 1962 and 1969, 688,000 agricultural acres were sprayed with a chemical called Agent Blue”, this led to citizens going hungry due to bad rice harvest. Not only did the food supply diminish, but health conditions got worse, especially for the children.
Though, it was not the U.S’s intent to cause a substantial amount of health conditions, nothing could have prepared the Vietnamese people for the unknown effects of Agent Orange and Agent Blue. As more chemicals were sprayed the water supplies became more toxic. Pregnant mother’s would drink the water and later give birth to a deformed child. Fred Wilcox explains that “Three million Vietnamese people, including 500,000 children, are suffering from the tragic legacies of chemical warfare.” The children being born are not fully formed fetuses and most are missing limbs. If they do not survive birth most die within a few days. Even to this day “third and even fourth generation of Agent Orange babies have been born” (Wilcox). Awful tragedies led to the effects on the children and people must be informed.
Although many people from all over the world have heard about the war from 1965-1975 they do not know that children and adults are being affected over 30 years later. The devastation that has continued, children being born with deformities, dying before they have a chance to open their eyes, it is all awful. It is not fair that babies who have nothing to do with the prior mistakes people have made because of a war are being affected. This is why we must not let history repeat itself. Imagine if a nightmare like this occurred again, who knows how many generations will have to suffer. People must become informed and realize, in the words of Fred Wilcox, “We are the Vietnamese; they are us. We ignore their suffering at our own peril.”