Chemical Warfare

Chemical Warfare. True Cost of the Invisible Wounds of War. Chemical weapons are one of the most destructive military weapons, causing mass destruction because they are fast acting and toxic. These chemicals cause major losses to the enemy or direct hazard for many people, animals and plants in general. Asphyxiation chemicals can burn humans, animals and insects, cause nerve damage, skin ulcers and destroy plants and crops. Herbicidal weapons destroy plants and crops. Wide use of this type of warfare climaxed during the Vietnam War and caused great harm to people and the environment. , , The Chemical Weapons Convention was created to ban chemical warfare, including the prohibition of development, prohibition of production, ban of store and use and provisions for the destruction of chemical weapons. 189 countries are members of the convention, 5 have not signed the convention. , , During the Vietnam War, the United States used Napalm and Agent Orange to fight against North Vietnam and the VietCong. Napalm is a gel that sticks to people's skin, hair and clothing causing severe burns, pain, unconsciousness, asphyxiation and death. When napalm was dropped into areas, the chemical created a firestorm, using up the oxygen in the atmosphere. Bystanders suffered heatstroke, smoke inhalation, and carbon monoxide poisoning. , , Agent Orange is a liquid mixture used to destroy crops and defoliate the forests in Vietnam. The compound is toxic for only about a week but dioxin lingers in soil, water, and human bodies. The US spread 11.4 million gallons of Agent Orange on Vietnam, covering 24 percent of South Vietnam with the poison. Dioxin is viable in water for up to 100 years and continues to cause damage to people in Vietnam villages. , , Recent wars have also exposed our military to chemical warfare, especially the burning oil fields in the Gulf War and the dismantling of bombs and other implements which often expose soldiers to mustard gas. , , Chemical weapons have lasting effects of the service men and women in Vietnam and are often unseen. The diseases are painful and often lead to premature death. The diseases are often related to the nervous systems and include: Chronic B-Cell Leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, Multiple Myeloma, Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Prostate Cancer, Respiratory Cancers, Soft tissue sarcomas, Ischemic heart disease, Chloracne, Porphyria cutanea tarda, Parkinson's disease, Peripheral neuropathy, Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, AL Amyloidosis , (captions) , US aircrafts sprayed toxic chemicals in Vietnam during the Vietnam War