Agent Orange is the combination of the code names for Herbicide
Orange (HO) and Agent LNX, one of the herbicides and defoliants
used by the U.S. military as part of its chemical warfare
program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961
to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed,
and 500,000 children born with birth defects as a result of its
use. The Red Cross of Vietnam estimates that up to 1 million
people are disabled or have health problems due to Agent Orange.
A 50:50 mixture of 2,4,5-T and 2,4-D, it was manufactured for
the U.S. Department of Defense primarily by Monsanto Corporation
and Dow Chemical. The 2,4,5-T used to produce Agent Orange was
later discovered to be contaminated with
2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), an extremely toxic
dioxin compound. It was given its name from the color of the
orange-striped 55 US gallon (208 l) barrels in which it was
shipped, and was by far the most widely used of the so-called
"Rainbow Herbicides". During the Vietnam War,