US Edition50 years later, Vietnam’s environment still bears the scars of war
- The Vietnam War ended on April 30, 1975, leaving the country's environment severely damaged by widespread use of herbicides and incendiary weapons.
- The extensive spraying of at least 19 million gallons of herbicides, including dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange, aimed to expose guerrilla forces hidden in forests and crops.
- Scientific studies conducted during the war documented destruction of mangroves, rubber and timber plantations, lakes, and waterways, while evidence linked Agent Orange’s 2,4,5-T chemical to birth defects.
- A remediation effort that started in 2006 concluded in 2018, during which approximately 150 thousand cubic meters of soil contaminated with dioxin were treated at a cost exceeding $115 million, primarily funded by USAID; however, the continuation of cleanup activities remains uncertain.
- Despite new international treaties and Vietnam’s penal code criminalizing ecocide, the slow recovery and ongoing dioxin exposure highlight the political will gap to prevent repeated environmental damage in conflicts.
12 Articles
12 Articles
ZME Science
50 years later, Vietnam’s environment still bears the scars of war – and signals a dark future for Gaza and Ukraine
When the Vietnam War finally ended on April 30, 1975, it left behind a landscape scarred with environmental damage. Vast stretches of coastal mangroves, once housing rich stocks of fish and birds, lay in ruins. Forests that had boasted hundreds of species were reduced to dried-out fragments, overgrown with invasive grasses. The term “ecocide” had […]
50 years later, Vietnam's environment still bears the scars of war, and signals a dark future for Gaza and Ukraine
When the Vietnam War finally ended on April 30, 1975, it left behind a landscape scarred with environmental damage. Vast stretches of coastal mangroves, once housing rich stocks of fish and birds, lay in ruins. Forests that had boasted hundreds of species were reduced to dried-out fragments, overgrown with invasive grasses.
50 Years Later, Vietnam’s Environment Still Bears the Scars of War and signals a dark future for Gaza and Ukraine - Other News - Voices against the tide
Pamela McElwee* – The Conversation When the Vietnam War finally ended on April 30, 1975, it left behind a landscape scarred with environmental damage. Vast stretches of coastal mangroves, once housing rich stocks of fish and birds, lay in ruins. Forests that had boasted hundreds of species were reduced to dried-out fragments, overgrown with invasive grasses. The term “ecocide” had been coined in the late 1960s to describe the U.S. military’s us…
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