Operation Ranch Hand refers to a large-scale aerial spraying campaign undertaken by the United States military during the Vietnam War. Running from 1962 to 1971, it was aimed at defoliating vast areas of dense vegetation, mainly forests and jungles in South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. The purpose of the operation was to deny cover and food sources to the opposition forces, disrupt supply routes, and gain tactical advantages for the American and South Vietnamese troops.
To execute Operation Ranch Hand, the U.S. military utilized aircraft, notably C-123 Provider cargo planes modified to carry and dispense herbicides like Agent Orange, Agent Blue, Agent White, and Agent Purple. The herbicides were sprayed from the air, creating a mist or fine droplets that would defoliate the foliage in the target areas within days or weeks. Agent Orange, the most widely used herbicide, contained the highly toxic chemical compound dioxin, which had severe long-term health and environmental consequences.
Operation Ranch Hand was one of the largest chemical warfare programs ever carried out in history. It aimed to weaken the communist opposition and facilitate conventional military tactics in a region heavily covered by vegetation. However, it had significant ecological and human health impacts, including deforestation, water pollution, and long-lasting health issues such as various cancers, birth defects, and other serious illnesses among both military personnel involved and the local civilian population.
