Even though 40 years have passed, addressing the consequences of war remains a concern for all parties involved. Vietnam has made efforts to heal the wounds of war.Environmental remediation, demining, and the implementation of social policies... But the challenges still lie ahead.Although the Government and people of VietnamHe demanded that any government apologize for losses.While acknowledging the deployment of military forces to Vietnam and the resulting severe war consequences for the country, in the context of globalization and integration, especially as interdependence between nations increases, and given the ongoing reconciliation of US-Vietnam relations—from sworn enemies to comprehensive partners, and with the goal of further developing a comprehensive strategic partnership—the issue of the Vietnam War's consequences, a legacy of the past that should not be forgotten, can and should receive more active attention and resolution from various parties, particularly the US government, in accordance with conscience, moral and legal responsibility, and with a spirit of humanity, love, and respect for human life.

1. The loss of life due to conflicting goals between Vietnam and the United States during the war.

In waging the Vietnam War, the longest war in American history, the US administrations under five presidents (Eilenberger, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford), under the pretext of ensuring "national security," aimed to permanently divide Vietnam, transforming the South into a separate nation within the "free world," opposed to the "communist bloc." They mobilized a large force of US troops and five US allies to directly participate in the war.[1], employing almost all war strategies (except total war), most modern weapons (except nuclear weapons), with enormous war costs.[2]In the history of world warfare, Vietnam was the most heavily bombed country. The number of bombs dropped by the US on Vietnam was nearly three times the total number of bombs used in World War II, as part of the so-called "lunarization" policy.[3].

More seriously, the US used chemical weapons and carried out deforestation of mountains and farmlands in the South through Operation Ranch Hand.[4]This transformed many dense tropical forests with diverse vegetation layers in South Vietnam into barren hills and mountains; turned many mangrove forests into empty wastelands; destroyed the bases of the Liberation Army and guerrillas; annihilated crops to cut off the supply lines of the revolutionary forces; and simultaneously forced and confined people to concentration camps or areas controlled by the US and the South Vietnamese government.[5].

For independence and freedom, the entire Vietnamese nation bravely rose up to fight, demonstrating their determination to defeat and overcome the Americans. In this historic confrontation of epochal significance and international scope, the Vietnamese people endured immeasurable losses and sacrifices.

Numerous documents, both domestic and international, have been written about the consequences of the war in Vietnam. Due to various reasons, the specific figures do not always match, but one undeniable fact is that the consequences were extremely severe for all warring parties.

Depending on the source, between 3 and 5 million Vietnamese people died in the war, with millions more injured and disabled. Those who survived continue to face serious economic, social, and environmental problems caused by the conflict, including the highest rate of birth defects in Vietnam in the world.[6].

The most recently released official casualty figures for Vietnam indicate nearly 2 million civilian deaths; over 2 million civilians with lifelong disabilities; and approximately 2 million people (including military personnel) exposed to toxic chemicals. The Vietnam People's Army (including the South Vietnamese Liberation Army) suffered approximately 1.1 million casualties in various circumstances (direct combat on the battlefield, accidents, illness during marches), and 600,000 soldiers were wounded or became ill. Of those killed, the remains of 300,000 soldiers have yet to be found.[7]In general, the 30 years of revolutionary war against French and American aggression (1954-1975) and the wars to defend the homeland against Khmer Rouge and Chinese aggression inSouthwestern borderandborderNorth (1978-1979), along with several anti-bandit campaigns andFULROVietnam has over 1,140,000 martyrs.[8].

The human losses for the United States and its allies were not insignificant. According to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C., the United States.[9]According to the Vietnam Military History Journal, the total number of US military casualties in Vietnam was 365,157, including 58,168 killed in action.[10]In addition, 1,875 people were missing (as of 2004). Of the 58,168 Americans killed in action, 7,878 were officers. Among the officers killed in action, 426 were commanders and commanding officers (37 of whom were generals). The American loss of life in Vietnam surpassed the number of casualties in World War I and the Korean War.[11]Of the 303,704 injured, 153,329 were seriously wounded and required lengthy hospital stays. 20,000 Americans were certainly exposed to Agent Orange, a chemical used by the US in Vietnam. In addition, nearly 350,000 other veterans (15% of the total) were discharged dishonorably, without job security, respect, or trust upon returning home. The militaries of US allies also suffered significant casualties in Vietnam.[12].

Besides the loss of life, American soldiers also suffered heavy psychological losses. Hundreds of thousands of American soldiers returned home suffering from various illnesses.mental disordersDue to psychological trauma from the horrors they experienced in Vietnam (often referred to by Americans as Vietnam Syndrome), approximately 200,000 American soldiers became addicted to drugs during their time in Vietnam.[13]These were major psychological and emotional traumas for Americans in general and American veterans in particular. Furthermore, their psychological damage was clearly manifested in frequent states of anxiety and stress. The number of American soldiers suffering from mental illness during and after the Vietnam War was the highest of all the wars the US military has participated in. Decades after the war, these symptoms still persist.

During the war, more than 6 million Americans lived in the occupied zones of South Vietnam, resulting in the birth of nearly half a million mixed-race American children, many of whom did not know their fathers, and many who lived in orphanages both during and after the war.

Human losses are not the basis for determining who won or lost the war, but Vietnam certainly suffered the most pain and losses due to the modern weapons and the fierce intensity of the American military's attacks.

2. The painful and long-lasting consequences of chemical warfare, especially Agent Orange/dioxin, for generations to come.

Agent Orange continues to destroy the health and lives of millions of Vietnamese people, creating a terrifying legacy for generations. Innocent, disabled children, some dying shortly after birth, or surviving with abnormal health, intelligence, and physical appearance. These innocent lives have become a haunting and painful memory for their relatives, families, and society as a whole.^[14]At the Second International Conference onThe chemical herbicides used by the US during the Vietnam War and their long-term effects on nature and people.At a conference held in Hanoi (1993), many Vietnamese and international scientists affirmed: "Agent Orange, a toxic chemical from the US, has destroyed nature and vegetation, destroyed human health, caused many serious diseases, caused many genetic mutations transmitted through the mother or father, caused reproductive disorders, birth defects, deformities, and disabilities in many children born, and caused cancer..."[15].

In Vietnam, approximately 150,000 children are born with birth defects due to their parents' exposure to Agent Orange. Around three million Vietnamese people were exposed to dioxin during the war, and at least one million are currently severely affected by Agent Orange. Many of them are veterans. Others belong to the second or third generation. Many of these victims live in areas near former US military bases, especially Bien Hoa (Dong Nai province) and the Da Nang airport area, where significant amounts of Agent Orange still remain.

According to the Chairman of the Da Nang Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin, the city has over 5,000 people affected by dioxin, including more than 1,400 children, most of whom suffer from severe disabilities and are unable to care for themselves.[16].

According to Professor Nguyen Trong Nhan, Vice President of the Vietnam Red Cross Society (VAVA), "the consequences of Agent Orange are far worse than anything people imagined when the war ended."[17]Even now, there are still children born with birth defects due to the effects of this toxic substance. Victims of Agent Orange are living in pain due to illness. Parents still long for a warm family and the happiness of having children, while their disabled children must struggle every second, every minute, against their congenital deformities. Despite this, they still love life, still yearn to see the sunlight, still hope for better things, and want to do something useful.

The use of chemical toxins has robbed people of their lives and their right to live a normal life. It is estimated that approximately 4.8 million Vietnamese people are affected by Agent Orange/dioxin, concentrated in the coastal provinces.Truong Son roadand Vietnam's border withCambodiaHundreds of thousands of them have died. Millions of people, including their descendants, are living with illness and poverty due to the lasting effects of Agent Orange.[18].

A test result published on August 25, 2012, indicated that 100% of blood samples from 62 randomly selected individuals living in Hai Chau and Thanh Khe districts (near Da Nang airport), who were not on the list of Agent Orange victims and showed no signs of dioxin contamination like other victims, were found to be contaminated with dioxin. This result, conducted since 2006 by the Da Nang Dioxin Contamination Survey and Remediation Project (DDAMP), funded by the Ford Foundation, and carried out by members of Hatfield Consulting Company, the Government's Office 33, and the Ministry of Health, was completely unexpected and suggests a much higher number of people contaminated than previously estimated. Many residents wanted to be tested but were hesitant due to the high cost and uncertainty about where to begin.[19].

3. ChangesThe ecological environment in Vietnam - the terrible devastation of war.

Environmental destructionThe damage inflicted by the US was so great that it gave rise to a new English word.ecocide(Ecological destruction). From 1961 to 1971, the US military waged the largest chemical warfare campaign in world history in Vietnam. Agent Orange, used by the US military in the Vietnam War to defoliate forests and "neutralize Viet Cong camouflage," contained one of the most toxic substances, dioxin (TCCD), at high concentrations of 3 to 4 mg/l. Approximately 80 million liters of herbicides and defoliants were sprayed over 24.67% of South Vietnam's total territory, with the majority being Agent Orange.[20]With an estimated half-life of 15 to 20 years or even longer, the enormous quantities of highly concentrated chemical toxins, repeatedly sprayed, not only killed plants and animals but also caused long-term environmental pollution and disrupted natural ecosystems. The Bertrand Roussel Tribunal and the 1970 Paris Conference were the first to denounce the devastating effects of the US chemical warfare in Vietnam to the world, calling it "a war of environmental destruction, destruction of ecosystems and human lives."[21].

Chemical toxins were sprayed from the 17th parallel all the way to Ca Mau, concentrated in various locations such as: the McNamara electronic barrier area (Quang Tri province), A Luoi (Thua Thien Hue province), Sa Thay (Kon Tum province), Can Gio area (Ho Chi Minh City) and Ca Mau.

Dioxin contamination in Vietnam is widespread; in the Da Nang airport area alone, 73,000 cubic meters of soil and sediment are contaminated with dioxin.[22]An estimated 366 kg of dioxin was sprayed over southern Vietnam, primarily in rural areas. Traces of dioxin are still found in the soil in most heavily contaminated areas – approximately 25 “hotspots”. The dioxin has had a severe impact on the environment and local populations. Studies at several hotspots, such as A So Airport (Thua Thien Hue), Da Nang, and Bien Hoa, indicate that dioxin continues to affect the health of people living in these areas.

The destruction of natural landscapes during war is nothing new, but the scale of this destruction in the Vietnam War was unprecedented in human history.

The US military inflicted widespread and prolonged environmental destruction over many years, synchronously destroying vast areas of natural ecosystems in Vietnam. Before the war, the forests of South Vietnam covered 10.3 million hectares. Areas sprayed with chemicals accounted for 24% of South Vietnam's land, with 86% of the chemical toxins sprayed on forest land and the remaining 14% on agricultural land, primarily rice paddies. More than 2 million hectares of forest land were destroyed. According to environmental experts, the impact of these chemicals was diverse, destroying over 150,000 hectares of mangrove forests and approximately 130,000 hectares of Melaleuca forests in the Mekong Delta, as well as hundreds of thousands of hectares of inland forest land.

High concentrations of herbicides not only destroy soil nutrients, causing soil degradation, but in a tropical monsoon climate, forests find it very difficult to regenerate.

Initial results indicate that over 3.3 million hectares of natural land were sprayed with toxic substances (with a spraying width of approximately 1,000m), of which inland forests were severely affected to varying degrees, resulting in losses of over 100 million m².³Timber, with the Southeast region having over 50% of its natural area affected. War Zones D and C, the Bời Lời forest, the Củ Chi forest... are areas where millions of liters of toxic chemicals were sprayed along with millions of tons of bombs and ammunition. Many forests have been completely destroyed, such as the Mã Đà area in Đồng Nai province, and the Phú Bình and Bù Gia Mập areas in Bình Phước province.[23].

Approximately 10 to 15 million bomb craters, covering 1% of South Vietnam's forest area, caused land instability, making the soil susceptible to erosion from rain. This also negatively impacted 28 river basins in Central Vietnam: 16 basins saw forest destruction affecting up to 30% of their total natural area; 10 basins lost 30-50% of their forest area, and 2 basins lost more than 50%. Most of these rivers are short, flow through complex terrain, and directly affect downstream areas. For decades after the war ended, floods continued to devastate the basins of the Huong, Thach Han, Han, Thu Bon, Tra Khuc, Con, Ve, Cau, and Ba rivers, resulting in significant loss of life and property. These tragic consequences persist and show no sign of ending.[24].

The war ended, but across Vietnam, approximately 66,000 square kilometers remain unexploded ordnance. It is estimated that over 600,000 tons of unexploded ordnance are still buried underground, scattered throughout the country, particularly in the provinces of Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam, and Quang Ngai. Only about 20% of the unexploded ordnance has been removed. On average, about 20,000 hectares of land are cleared each year. At this rate, it will take another 300 years to completely eliminate all unexploded ordnance. Unexploded ordnance continues to cause heavy losses in terms of life, property, and livelihoods, claiming the lives of 10,529 people and injuring 12,231 others, 25% of whom are children under 14, severely impacting socio-economic development.[25].

4. Efforts by Vietnam and the United States in addressing the consequences of the war.

From the very beginning of the resistance against French colonialism, with a humanitarian and peaceful perspective, the Vietnamese Government had policies towards wounded soldiers and martyrs, caring for the families of deceased soldiers, treating prisoners of war humanely, and showing compassion for French soldiers who died. With a spirit of peace among nations and a humanitarian ideal, Ho Chi Minh wrote:

"I bow my head in reverence to the souls of the Vietnamese soldiers and compatriots who sacrificed their lives for the Fatherland."

I also feel deep sorrow for the French people who died.

Alas!"In the face of compassion, French blood or Vietnamese blood are both blood, and French people or Vietnamese people are both human beings."[26]He reminded the soldiers and people of Vietnam to treat prisoners of war kindly and humanely, and to be tolerant and magnanimous towards those who had gone astray.

After 30 years of war (1945-1975), Vietnam has made efforts to overcome the consequences of the war. The Vietnamese government and people have worked hard to search for and gather the remains of fallen soldiers in cemeteries, care for wounded soldiers and families of fallen soldiers, provide care and support for victims of Agent Orange, clear and remove landmines, and search for missing Americans...

Many policies to address the consequences of war have been issued by the Vietnamese Government: Decision No. 16 (February 5, 2004)VAssistance for households with two or more members who are unable to care for themselves due to the effects of chemical toxins.Decision No. 120 (July 5, 2004)Regarding certain policies for those who participated in the resistance and their children affected by chemical toxins used by the US during the Vietnam War.Decree No. 54 (May 25, 2006)VRegarding guidelines on the conditions for considering and resolving entitlements for resistance fighters exposed to chemical toxins and their children....In particular, on June 1, 2012, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 651.Regarding the action plan for fundamentally addressing the consequences of chemical toxins used by the US during the war in Vietnam by 2015 and the orientation towards 2020.The basic objectives are to address the consequences of chemical toxins on the environment and people, including thoroughly treating chemical toxins in heavily contaminated areas; ensuring that 100% of those who participated in the resistance war and their descendants affected by chemical toxins receive benefits and policies for meritorious individuals; and planting 300,000 hectares of new forest on barren land and hillsides damaged by chemical toxins…

The Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin has received support and assistance from friendship associations with Vietnam in the UK, France, Germany, Russia, the World Peace Council, the Brazilian Peace Committee, the Chinese Peace Association, the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, the Korean Association of Agent Orange Victims (KAOVA), the Veterans for Peace of America (VFP), the Vietnam Agent Orange Victims Relief and Responsibility Campaign in the US (VAORRC), the South Osaka-Asia Friendship Bridge for Peace (NPO-MOA) of Japan, Greenpeace of India (GIS), Children of Dioxin of France, the United Nations Development Organization (UNDP), and the embassies of several countries in Hanoi…

However, Vietnam faces many difficulties in addressing the consequences of war in general and the victims of Agent Orange in particular.

In the development of Vietnam-US relations, some consequences of the war have been addressed through cooperation between the two sides.

Regarding the issue of demining., nOn November 10, 2006, at the headquarters of the Mine Action Technology Center (BOMICEN), Engineering Command in Hanoi, representatives of BOMICEN and the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF) signed Phase II of the project "Investigation, Monitoring and Assessment of the Impact of Post-War Landmines in Vietnam".The signing ceremony was attended by representatives of high-ranking officials from the Vietnamese and US governments, the Australian and Belgian embassies, and relevant organizations. This is part of a joint effort to address the consequences of war. The project began in 2001 in 344 out of 549 communes in the three provinces of Ha Tinh, Quang Nam, and Quang Tri. Phase I (2002) resulted in the removal of landmines and unexploded ordnance from 421 hectares of land, and the detection and safe disposal of 6,205 bombs, mines, and other explosive devices. Phase II of the project continued in the three aforementioned provinces and expanded to include an additional 133 communes in Thua Thien Hue and Nghe An provinces. The funding for Phase II was approximately US$1 million, with VVAF contributing US$850,000. The U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael Marine, said: "This marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one in cooperation between our two countries," and the project "is an effort to address part of the legacy of the war from the last century." Soldiers from both sides have joined hands in a commitment to return to the battlefields where they once fought, working together to "relocate and dismantle the remnants of war, so that Vietnamese land can be used again, bringing a better life to the Vietnamese people."[27].

Regarding the issue of Agent OrangeWhen US President Bill Clinton visited Hanoi, Vietnamese President Tran Duc Luong requested the US government to "take responsibility for helping to clear mines and decontaminate former US military bases in Vietnam and to assist Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange."

On the morning of December 16, 2006, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the US Embassy, ​​and the US Agency for International Development in Vietnam signed an agreement.Memorandum of Understanding on Health and Environmental Remediation Programs in Addressing Agent Orange Contamination in VietnamAccordingly, the US Congress allocated $6 million in 2007 and 2009 for this program. According to US Ambassador Michael Michalak to Vietnam, the memorandum marks an important milestone and a new level of commitment in jointly finding new and innovative solutions to a complex problem.[28].

In February 2007, after conducting an on-site investigation at Da Nang airport, the US Ambassador to Vietnam, Michael Marine, confirmed the presence of dioxin contamination, and the US took more proactive steps in addressing Agent Orange contamination.[29]The Ford Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Atlantic Philanthropies of the United States funded a project to build temporary containment structures at Da Nang Airport; construct a dioxin laboratory; research biotechnologies for dioxin decontamination at Da Nang Airport; quantify all contamination and exposure; and propose mitigation measures from 2010 to 2012. From August 9, 2012, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense, implemented the project "Addressing Dioxin Contamination at Da Nang Airport," which lasted until 2016. This involved excavating approximately 73,000 cubic meters of soil and sediment for heating to remove the toxins.[30].

To help address the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin, the Vietnam-US dialogue group developed a 10-year plan (2010-2019) with a budget of $300 million, implemented in three phases. The main goals were to clean up dioxin-contaminated land, restore the damaged ecosystem, and expand services for people with disabilities related to Agent Orange/dioxin. Commenting on the US efforts in addressing the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin in Vietnam, Mr. Le Ke Son, Chairman of the US-Vietnam Joint Advisory Committee on Agent Orange/dioxin, said: “From a complete lack of cooperation to scientific cooperation, then collecting dioxin samples to determine pollution levels, developing treatment methods, and assisting victims – these are positive steps in the relationship between the two countries, and we acknowledge this positive contribution from the US.”[31].

US aid for addressing the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin in Vietnam has been steadily increasing: $3 million per year (2007, 2009), $15 million (2010); $34 million for the decontamination of Da Nang Airport (2011); and $44 million (over two years, 2012, 2013) to continue addressing the Agent Orange/dioxin hotspot in Da Nang. Ms. KC Choe, Director of the Environment and Social Development Office of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), affirmed: “The areas contaminated with Agent Orange/dioxin at Da Nang Airport will be completely cleaned up by 2016. Regarding the Agent Orange/dioxin contamination hotspot at Bien Hoa Airport.”[32]"We are currently conducting environmental impact assessments to develop a treatment plan."[33].

To help mitigate the consequences of Agent Orange/dioxin on humans, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides funding forA comprehensive and integrated support program for people with disabilities exposed to Agent Orange.(The program ran from October 2012 to September 2015). The main objectives of the program were to train social work for managers and community-based rehabilitation collaborators; to develop support plans for people with disabilities, improve the quality and accessibility of specialized services for people with disabilities, including orthopedic surgery, physiotherapy, speech therapy, and occupational therapy; and to improve the quality of public health services to prevent and reduce the severity of disabilities, including congenital defect monitoring, postnatal screening, cancer detection, and pre-pregnancy counseling services to reduce the risk of birth defects.

5. More humanity and responsibility are needed in addressing the consequences of the Vietnam War.

The war is over, but its consequences have not disappeared, becoming social problems that always require both urgent and long-term solutions.

A vast amount of unexploded ordnance remains scattered throughout Vietnam, posing a constant threat to human life, and at the current pace, it would take another three centuries to remove it.

Even after 40 years, there are still areas where dioxin levels remain above permissible limits, causing harm to production and the lives of local communities.

Hundreds of thousands of soldiers' remains still lie scattered across battlefields, hundreds of thousands more unidentified.

People carrying both identified and unidentified chemical toxins still need medical care and treatment every day and every hour. In Vietnam, with its vast area of ​​contaminated land and high number of affected individuals, accurately identifying those affected by dioxin is extremely difficult, as it requires testing each person individually at a cost of approximately $1,000 per person per test.[34]On the other hand, due to the complex nature of the disease mechanisms and the conditions for monitoring and diagnosis, Vietnam has not been able to fully identify the number of victims of chemical poisoning, let alone the conditions for healthcare. Many people have died from illnesses that were not clearly diagnosed. Many are only in the incubation period, meaning they have only undergone metabolic and genetic changes that have not yet manifested externally.

Furthermore, after the war, those who were on opposing sides, including members of the same family and lineage, found it difficult to heal their emotional and psychological wounds. Over a million soldiers and millions of civilian employees of the Republic of Vietnam, with their differing perspectives, continue to influence their descendants. Effectively addressing these issues requires specific and long-term social policies.

Although the Vietnamese government has been addressing the consequences of war, it cannot be resolved overnight due to insufficient resources, ranging from policy mechanisms and human resources to technological equipment and financial resources.

Along with the efforts of the Vietnamese government and people, support from international organizations and countries around the world, especially from the US government, is absolutely essential. However, such support is still very modest compared to the serious consequences that the US military has inflicted on the Vietnamese people. Furthermore, the support has only focused on addressing environmental issues, while the detection and provision of healthcare and support for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin remain very limited. Many have died because they did not have enough time to wait.

The pain of the war's aftermath continues to haunt those who are still alive until it is fully resolved in practice.

The Vietnamese people's efforts to close the painful past have been shared by many organizations and individuals, including Americans, university lecturers and students, and even American veterans who fought in Vietnam...

In March 2005, a group of students and faculty from Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) came to Vietnam during their spring break to share their love and care for children who were victims of Agent Orange. Jennie Brunsdon, 21, said: “I’m thrilled to be part of this volunteer team. But what’s even more exciting is being able to share my time and affection with disabled children. Do all the good you can, with all the means you have, in all the ways you can, everywhere you can go, for everyone you can meet… That’s my motto.” Regarding her impressions of meeting children who are victims of Agent Orange at Thanh Xuan Peace Village, Van Canh Friendship Village (Hanoi)... Jennie Brundson said: “I was very happy and joyful to play with the disabled children, the children who are victims of Agent Orange. The joy and confidence of the children in the places I visited helped me to some extent to lessen the sadness I felt because of what the US government had done.”[35].

According to "mySanAntonio.com," the official website of South Texas, Jan C. Scruggs, founder and president of the Vietnam Veterans of America Memorial Fund (VVMF), stated that many American veterans who fought in Vietnam are conscious of healing their war wounds. Many veterans have returned to Vietnam multiple times. He himself has visited Vietnam 10 times.[36].

Many international journalists have come to Vietnam to report on the victims of Agent Orange. BBC journalist Tom Fawthrop visited Cu Chi district, witnessed firsthand the plight of many Agent Orange victims, and wrote an article about them.

Under the headline "The consequences of war still haunt Vietnam," the newspaperYouth WorldA German newspaper published an article on September 26, 2010, calling for justice for Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange.

The article clearly states that the immediate consequences of exposure to this toxin are symptoms of poisoning, which can be fatal. This substance also harms pregnant women, causing premature birth, miscarriage, birth defects, and intellectual disability. Furthermore, the toxin can cause heart disease, cancer, and neurological disorders.

The article calls on U.S. officials to acknowledge the consequences of the toxic chemicals that the U.S. military sprayed over Vietnam during the war on the Vietnamese people and to provide adequate compensation to the Vietnamese victims.[37].

The U.S. government, scientists, and chemical companies all acknowledge that Agent Orange/dioxin has caused numerous harmful effects on human health.[38]On January 6, 1991, U.S. President George H.W. Bush issuedAgent Orange Lawto address the complexities associated with veterans exposed to herbicides – such as Agent Orange – used during the Vietnam Era.[39]This was the first move by the US government to express concern for the humanitarian issues facing those affected by Agent Orange. However,The Agent Orange Act of 1991This support is only for American veterans who have been exposed to toxic substances, and is not extended to Vietnamese veterans and civilians.

Within a comprehensive dialogue and cooperation mechanism, Vietnam and the United States can fully address the consequences of the war with the spirit of closing the painful past and building a mutually beneficial model of cooperation.

The Vietnamese government does not demand an apology from any government for sending military forces to participate in the war and causing serious consequences for Vietnam. However, in the context of globalization and integration, as interdependence between nations increases, with a spirit of humanity, with love and respect for human life, and with moral and legal responsibility, the issue of the consequences of the Vietnam War needs to be addressed more proactively.

REFERENCES

1. American War and Military Operations Casualties: Lists and Statistics, Congressional Research Service, February 26, 2010,Available online.

 2. Le Cao Dai:Agent Orange in the Vietnam War – the situation and its consequences.Hanoi Publishing House, 1999

3. Vu Le Thao Chi: “The Silent War”The resistance war against America to save the country.Ho Chi Minh City National University Publishing House, 2005.

4.History of the resistance war against the US to save the nation (1954-1975), Vol. 8, National Political Publishing House. Hanoi, 2008.

5. Ho Chi Minh:Complete Collection, Vol. 4, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2000.

6.The pain of Agent Orange, National Political Publishing House, Hanoi, 2013.

7. Nick Malloni, "Agent of Destruction,"Far Eastern Economic ReviewDecember 7, 1989.

8. Multiple authors:Agent Orange – A tragedy and lasting damage., Ho Chi Minh City Literature and Arts Publishing House, 2004.

9. JM Stellman, SD Stellman, Richard Christian, Tracy Weber, Carrie Tomasalle:The extent and patterns of usage of orange and other herbs in Vietnam – Nature,3003, vol. 422.

10. Central Committee of the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin:Outline for the 50th anniversary of the Agent Orange disaster in Vietnam (August 10, 1961 – August 10, 2011)Hanoi, 2011

11. Vietnam News Agency:Special reference materialsJanuary 19, 2010.

12. Peter Korn, "The Persisting Poison,"The Nation, 8 April 1991.

13. Lockard, 239. Craig A. Lockard, "Meeting Yesterday Head-on:The Vietnam War in Vietnamese, American, and World History",

14.Journal of World History, Vol. 5, No. 2, 1994, University of Hawaii Press

15.Vietnam News(VNExpress), August 25, 2012.

16.http://www.medinet.hochiminhcity.gov.vn/ttyh/bshkhkt/Dioxin.htm

17.http://viet.vietnamembassy.us

18.http://www.mon(POPs Vietnam Portal (Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment)

19.https://chientranhvietnam.wordpress.com/consequences of war