During the Second Indochina war, from 1961 to 1971, the South of Vietnam and parts of Laos and Cambodia were sprayed with herbicides for military purposes. The US Air Force sprayed 72 million liters of toxic chemicals, of which 44 million liters was Agent Orange contaminated with 170 kilograms of Dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known. Agent Orange and Dioxin have a lasting effect on the environment and the health of the people of Vietnam. Dioxin is especially harmful to human health. Laboratory tests of human tissues taken from exposed veterans and the people living in sprayed areas still show elevated Dioxin levels, compared with non-exposed people.
Epidemiological studies show a elevated rate of disease in exposed people.
These include cancer, neurological disorders, metabolic disorders and abnormalities of pregnancy, including birth defects. Since 1994, provincial Red Cross Societies have studied birth defects. They estimate that the number of birth defects related to Agent Orange may be quite high. Many Agent Orange victims today live with their disabilities under very difficult conditions. A million hectares of the most heavily sprayed forest was destroyed.