U.S. warplanes dumped about 18 million gallons of Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The Vietnamese government says this has left more than three million people disabled. We speak with two Vietnamese Agent Orange victims and their lawyers about how the toxin has affected their lives and why they’re suing over three dozen U.S. chemical companies who manufactured it.
Nguyen Thi Hong was exposed to Agent Orange in 1964. She gave birth prematurely to three underweight children, one of whom had a congenital heart defect. She was found to have cancer of the left breast. In addition, she also has cerebral anemia, bone metastasis, cirrhosis, gallstones and bladder-stones, varicose limbs, limb-skin ulcer, weak legs and limited range of movement. Nguyen Muoi wasn’t born until after the war ended but has also been affected by Agent Orange. His father was a farmer who served as a cook in Aluoi Valley, a ‘hot spot’ where Agent Orange was stored. I asked them to describe how the dioxin has affected them.
Nguyen Muoi and Nguyen Thi Hong, Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange who are both plaintiffs in a lawsuit against over three dozen U.S. chemical companies.
Merle Ratner, co-coordinator of the Vietnam Agent Orange Relief & Responsibility Campaign.
Jonathan Moore, attorney for plaintiffs in Agent Orange lawsuit.