Educational Resources

Agent Orange & the Vietnamese 101



Vietnam Reporting Project fellow and CBS5 reporter/anchor, Ms. Thuy Vu, travels to Vietnam to report on the impact of Agent Orange on Vietnam, 35 years after the end of the war. Featuring young victim activist, Miss Tran Thi Hoan, and doctor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong (watch them testify before Congress). Report by Vietnam Reporting Project.

Agent Orange Research

  1. Executive Summary of the Decision of the International Peoples' Tribunal of Conscience in support of the Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange - May 18, 2009.
  2. Congressional Research Service: Report for Congress: Vietnamese victims of Agent Orange and U.S.-Vietnam relations, Order No. 34761 - May 2009, previous version November 21, 2008
  3. Dioxins and Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Environmental Health Perspectives, by Olivier Humblet, Linda Birnbaum, Eric Rimm, Murray A. Mittleman, and Russ Hauser. Vol. 116 (November 2008): 1443-1448. See also the html version.
  4. Elevated sister chromatid exchange frequencies in New Zealand Vietnam War veterans in Cytogenetic and Genome Reseach by R.E. Rowland, L.A. Edwards and J.V. Podd. Vol. 116 (May 2007): 248-251.
  5. Health status of Army Chemical Corps Vietnam veterans who sprayed defoliant in Vietnam in American Journal of Industrial Medicine (p 875-884) by Han K. Kang, Nancy A. Dalager, Larry L. Needham, Donald G. Patterson Jr., Peter S.J. Lees, Katherine Yates, Genevieve M. Matanoski .Published Online: 27 Sep 2006 . DOI: 10.1002/ajim.20385
  6. Dioxin hot spots in Vietnam by L. Wayne Dwernychuk, Short Communication in Chemosphere 60 (2005): 998-999.
  7. Agent Orange/Dioxin hot spots -- a legacy of U.S. military bases in Southern Vietnam, by L. Wayne Dwernychuk, Hoang Dinh Cau, Christopher T. Hatfield, Thomas G. Boivin, Tran Manh Hung, Phung Tri Dung and Nguyen Dinh Thai. Hatfield Consultants, Paris. 2005.
  8. The Agent Orange Dioxin issue in Viet Nam: A manageable problem, by LW Dwernychuk, TM Hung, TG Boivin, GS Bruce, PT Dung, LK Son, CT Hatfield, NT Dung, JA Allan, DD Nhu, PV Thuc, DJ Moats, and L Borton. Short paper submission to the 26th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (DIOXIN 2006).
  9. Levels of 2,3,7,8-TCDD in blood from Agent Orange sprayed locations in Vietnam, by A Schechter, HT Quynh, O Papke, TR Harris, A Musumba and JD Constable. Short paper submission to the 26th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (DIOXIN 2006).
  10. Study on variation of some biological factors such as genetics, immunology, biochemistry, hematology in patients with high risk of exposure to Dioxin (Vietnamese version), by Nguyen Van Tuong, Phan thi Phi Phi, Nguyen Van Nguyen, Trinh Van Bao, Van Dinh Hoa, Nguyen Thi Hoa, Do Trung Phan, Nong Van Hai, Bach Khanh Hoa and collaborators. Short paper submission to the 26th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (DIOXIN 2006).
  11. Study on diseases related to chemical toxic/Dioxin on Vietnamese veterans, (Vietnamese version) by Le Bach Quang, Doan Huy Hai and Hoang Van Luong (Military Academy of Medicine. Short paper submission to the 26th International Symposium on Halogenated Persistent Organic Pollutants (DIOXIN 2006).
  12. Genetic damage in New Zealand Vietnam war veterans--Participant report, prepared by Louise Edwards, Institute of Molecular BioSciences, Massey University, New Zealand. July 2006. 39 pp.
  13. Association between Agent Orange and birth defects: systematic review and meta-analysis, by Anh D. Ngo, Richard Taylor, Christine L Roberts and Tuan V. Nguyen, to appear in the International Journal of Epidemiology, March 16, 2006.
  14. Dioxins in Vietnamese, Vietnamese Food and Environment: Potential Relevance of Hot Spots from Recent Findings, by Olaf Päpke (Eurofins-ERGO Research, Hamburg, Germany) and Arnold Schecter (University of Texas, Dallas, USA). September 9, 2005.
  15. The extent and patterns of usage of Agent Orange and other herbicides in Vietnam, by Jeanne Mager Stellman, Steven D. Stellman, Richard Christian, Tracy Weber & Carrie Tomasallo, in Nature 422: 681-687, April 17, 2003.

Educational Materials

  1. Cost of the War in Vietnam, from Indochina Newsletter, Asia Resource Center, Special Issue 93-97—The ABC’s of the Vietnam War, © 1996 by Paul Shannon. With updates. April 2000.
  2. Vietnam Annotated Bibliography, prepared and annotated by Prof. Ngo Vinh Long, University of Maine, Maine. April 2000. On the webpage of The Vietnam Peace 25th Anniversary Committee. New York.
  3. Chronology of the Vietnam War and the Anti-Vietnam War Movement in the U.S., Adapted from Appendix A, from Vietnam and America: A Documented History, by Marvin E. Gettleman, Jane Franklin, Marilyn B. Young and H. Bruce Franklin. New York: Grove Press. 1998.

Books

  1. Agent Orange and the War in Vietnam, by Prof Nguyễn Văn Tuấn, Garvan Institute of Medical Research and University of New South Wales, Australia. Published by Giao Ðiểm, 2005.
  2. L'agent orange au Viet-nam: Crime d'hier, tragédie d'aujourd'hui, edited by Y. Capdeville, F. Gendreau & J. Meynard, Foreword by François Gros. Tiresias editions, Paris, 2005. ISBN 2-91523-23-6. Association d'Amitié Franco-Vietnamienne, 44 rue Alexis Lepère, 93100 Montreuil, France. Email: francovietnamienne.a@free.fr. Price 15 Euros.
  3. Những câu chuyện của nạn nhân Chất độc Da cam/Dioxin – Việt Nam, Trung tâm Nghiên cứu Giới, Gia đình và Môi trường trong Phát triển (CGFED). Hà Nội: Thế Giới. 2004.
  4. Làm dịu "Nỗi đau Da cam": Lương tri và hành động, Quỹ Bảo trợ Nạn nhân Chất độc Da cam, Hội Chữ thập đỏ Việt Nam. Hà Nội: Nhà xuất bản Lao Ðộng. 2003.
  5. Agent Orange in the Vietnam War: History and Consequences, by Prof. Lê Cao Đại, MD of the Vietnam Red Cross Society. Hanoi: 2000.
  6. GI Guinea Pigs: How the Pentagon Exposed Our Troops to Dangers Deadlier than War, by Michael Uhl and Tod Ensign. The book is available for $15.00 postpaid from Citizen Soldier, 267 Fifth Avenue, #901, New York, NY 10016.

Documents and VCDs from Viet Nam Association for Victims of Agent Orange/Dioxin (VAVA)

  1. VCD: Chất độc da cam/dioxin và quyền sống của con người (Agent Orange/Dioxin and the Right to Life) [Vietnamese], 32'45" realized by Nguyễn Hoài Nam, VAVA, October 2004.
  2. VCD: Nơi chiến tranh đã đi qua (The place where wars have gone through) [English], 20'20", directed by Lệ Mỹ, from Vietnam National Documentary & Scientific Film Studio. Hanoi, Vietnam. 2005?.
  3. VCD: The paths to justice, [English], 29'45", a film by Lại Văn Sinh, from Vietnam National Documentary & Scientific Film Studio. Hanoi, Vietnam. 2005?.
  4. VCD: Tears in Playground [Vietnamese/English], 26'00", directed by Vũ Chính about the international Friendship Village near Hanoi, Vietnam. 2003.
  5. VCD: The War has passed... The pain remains [English] 37'45", directed by Quốc Anh, from the Vietname National Documentary & Scientific Film Studio. [year?].
  6. VCD: Chuyện từ góc công viên (Story from the corner of a park) [Vietnamese, English subtitled by Diane Fox], directed by Trần Văn Thuỷ & Hồ Trí Phổ. 1996.
  7. DVD: Những mảnh đời bất hạnh [Miserable lives], Golden Fish Production. Script by Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Phuong, directed by Le Kim Luc and Le Tri. Contact: 168 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh Street, Binh Thanh District, Ho Chi Minh City, tel. +84 8 899 6018, fax: +84 8 518 0979, email: goldenfish@hcm.vnn.vn.
  8. Booklet: Let's Take Action to Alleviate Agent Orange Victim's Suffering, Ho Chi Minh City Office of VAVA, Lang Hoa Binh II Benh vien Phu san, 284 Cong Quynh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel. +1 84 4 848 5065. 30 pp.
  9. Booklet: Nạn nhan chất doc da cam — Noi dau khong cua rieng ai. Ho Chi Minh City Office of VAVA, Lang Hoa Binh II Benh vien Phu san, 284 Cong Quynh Street, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City. Tel. +1 84 4 848 5065. 54 pp.

VIDEOs & CDs

  1. The Vietnam War: An Unrecoverable Wound, The Agent Orange Victims Fund www.vnrc.org.vn, The Vietnam Red Cross. Documentary film, 35 minutes. Hanoi: 2001.
  2. No Longer Enemies, by Michael Uhl and Tod Ensign. The video, color VHS or DVD, 19.1 min., is available for $15.00 postpaid from Citizen Soldier, 267 Fifth Avenue, #901, New York, NY 10016.
  3. Agent Orange: a personal requiem, a film by Masako Sakata. English, 70 min. The color DVD, contact by email, IPJNET President 1F Aoyama-Nozue Bldg., 2-11-10 Kita-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan 107-0061, tel. +813-3479-2865, fax: +813-3479-2775.
  4. Dioxin! What Citizens, Workers and Policymakers Should Know. Interview with Dr. Linda Birnbaum, (EPA Toxicology Division Director) in 2004 discussing what dioxin is, how toxic dioxin is, and if dioxin causes cancer. In 2010 Dr. Linda Birnbaum is director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. Video is produced by the Ecology Center of Ann Arbour for the Public Interest Research Group in Michigan.
  5. Battle's Poison Cloud A film documentary examining the birth defects issue in Viet Nam related to Agent Orange exposure. Research undertaken by Hatfield Consultants Ltd. is outlined including their "hotspot" theory. The "hotspot" theory relates to former US military installations where Agent Orange was stored, dispensed, sprayed and spilled. These facilities, it is theorized, have the highest levels of dioxin contamination to which local populations are potentially being exposed. The passage of dioxin through the human food chain contaminating human blood and breast milk is clearly outlined. This film has been awarded the prize for the best investigative journalism documentary at the Moscow Law and Society Film Festival in 2003. Contact: Cecile Trijssenaar Tambuti Films tambutifilms@aol.com. Tambuti Films or Journeyman Film 29.3.2004, 53'42", DVD and NTSC.
  6. The Friendship Village is a documentary film about an international group of veterans who are building a village in Viet Nam for children with suspected Agent Orange-related deformities. The Village stands not only as a symbol of peace and reconciliation, but as a testament to the potential for all people to come to terms with the past and heal the wounds of war. Hatfield Consultants' work on Agent Orange is highlighted in the film. Producer/Director Michelle Mason was awarded the Silver Hugo for best social/political documentary at the 2003 Chicago International Television Awards. Contact: Michelle Mason A Cypress Park Production 102-1080 Gilford St., Vancouver, B.C., CANADA V6G 2P4 www.cypress-park.ca
  7. "Scientists Study Soil": clip from The Friendship Village
  8. Vietnam: After the Fire (Parts 1, 2, 3 & 4) Excellent two-hour documentary film by ACACIA Productions Ltd. of some of the human and environmental impacts in Viet Nam of Agent Orange application during the conflict. The film was awarded the Special Jury Prize at the Banff International Film Festival in 1989, and chosen the Best Film Made For Television at the 1990 International Documentary Festival of New York. A copy can be obtained from: The Cinema Guild, Inc. 1697 Broadway, Suite 506 New York, New York 10019 (212) 246-5522
  9. Vietnam: The Secret Agent Newly released DVD of the award winning 1983 hour long documentary on the history of Agent Orange used during the Vietnam War, its toxic constituent dioxin, and the plight of Vietnam veterans and their families in the US as they seek health care for exposure. Bonuses on the DVD include 1983-2009 Agent Orange update timeline, plus video shorts about effects in Vietnam, toxic hot spots and current related issues. For more information: http://www.vietnamthesecretagent.com Jacki Ochs ( jochs@humanarts.org )
  10. Ecocide - A Strategy of War. A 20 minute film about the early years of Agent Orange use in Viet Nam and the American scientists who visited the battlegrounds overviewing the ecological damage. Contact: Charles Light (clight@gmpfilms.com) http://www.gmpfilms.com.
  11. Aftermath - The Remnants of War. A 75 minute documentary by the National Film Board of Canada examining the "aftermath" of war in France, Russia, Viet Nam, and Bosnia. The Viet Nam section focuses on Agent Orange with highlights of Hatfield Consultants' work in central Viet Nam. http://www.aftermathpictures.com http://www.nfb.ca/store