Since the end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam in 1975, the U.S.-Vietnam relationship has traveled an extraordinary road, from enmity and war to an increasingly close strategic partnership, driven by shared interests and built on decades of work to build trust and to address the enduring impacts of the war.
Cooperation between the two governments — supported by efforts from civil society, including veterans’ organizations — has helped address the impacts of Agent Orange and unexploded ordnance and helped both sides identify the remains of missing personnel. Meanwhile, people to people exchanges, ranging from veterans’ exchanges to major initiatives like U.S. support to establish Fulbright University Vietnam, have fostered connectivity and built trust between our societies. Yet nearly 50 years following the end of the war, more work is needed to address its legacies; to more deeply connect our two countries; and to use the story of U.S.-Vietnam relations as evidence that peace is possible and practical.
This project aims to further advance reconciliation through people-to-people engagement; to build and sustain U.S. support for addressing the war’s legacies in the coming decades; and to highlight lessons from the U.S.-Vietnam experience that could apply elsewhere in the world. The Vietnam initiative includes publications, events and videos produced by USIP and by partners in the U.S. and Vietnam.
Addressing the Legacies of Agent Orange
Agent Orange, a chemical herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, is the most visible and intractable legacy of the war. As many as 4.8 million Southeast Asians and 3 million U.S. veterans were exposed. USIP, as part of its Vietnam War Legacies and Reconciliation Initiative launched in 2021, is dedicated to addressing these enduring impacts by fostering collaboration between the U.S. and Vietnamese governments on public education, exhibits, and people-to-people exchange.
More than 19 million gallons of herbicides were sprayed in South Vietnam between 1961 and 1971, and smaller amounts in Laos and Cambodia. The dioxin contained in Agent Orange is associated with severe health problems, including cancers, birth defects and chronic illnesses in those exposed. Herbicides have also deeply impacted the environment, particularly around former U.S. military bases where the chemicals were stored.
The U.S. government has cooperated with Vietnamese agencies to address the health and environmental impacts of Agent Orange since 2007, contributing more than $500 million to disability programs and cleanup of dioxin hotspots. However, thousands of affected Vietnamese families still need better access to health and social services. The ongoing story of Agent Orange demonstrates how peacebuilding efforts can heal the wounds of war and turn obstacles into a foundation for trust and reconciliation.
Featured Publications
USIP’s publications provide the latest news, analysis, research findings and reports that advance our values of assisting victims of Agent Orange and spreading awareness.
- Agent Orange Victims in Vietnam: Their Numbers, Experiences, Needs, and Sources of Support
- U.S. Assistance to Vietnamese Families Impacted by Agent Orange
- Addressing the Harmful Legacy of Agent Orange in Vietnam
Videos
USIP supports videos on topics related to Agent Orange, enabling Americans and Vietnamese to speak in their own voices about their experiences and thoughts on Agent Orange.
Events
USIP convenes a variety of virtual and in-person seminars, featuring prominent speakers from the U.S. and Southeast Asia on Agent Orange.
- Dialogue on War Legacies and Peace in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia
- Resolving the Legacies of Agent Orange
- Overcoming War Legacies