Agent Orange: From the Nitro Explosion to Vietnam's Forests, Responsibility Was Split Apart

From 1962 to 1971, U.S. military aircraft sprayed more than 19 million gallons of herbicides over Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The stated goals were direct: strip leaves from forests so opposing forces could not hide, destroy food crops, and clear areas around military bases. About 11 million gallons were Agent Orange, stored in drums marked with an orange band.

Agent Orange was not one chemical. It was a mixture of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-T. During the production of 2,4,5-T, a highly toxic contaminant called TCDD, a type of dioxin, could form. TCDD can remain in soil and bind to fat, so its trail does not end when sprayed leaves fall. The story begins with a military campaign, but its path leads back to chemical plants, production records, and lawsuits that lasted for decades.