Final answer:
Agent Orange was a defoliant used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War to clear jungles and prevent Vietcong forces from hiding and receiving support from the dense forests. It had serious environmental and health impacts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Agent Orange was a powerful herbicide and defoliant used by U.S. military forces during the Vietnam War. Its primary use was to defoliate forested and rural lands, decreasing the Vietcong's ability to hide in the dense jungles and thereby providing a tactical advantage to U.S. and South Vietnamese troops. Between 1961 and 1971, nearly 4.5 million acres of Vietnam were sprayed, with grave consequences for the environment and for the health of those exposed to the chemical.
Considered part of the U.S. military strategy known as 'herbicidal warfare' under Operation Ranch Hand, Agent Orange contained dioxins, which caused serious health issues, including cancer, birth defects, and other chronic diseases. The use of this chemical not only aimed at disrupting the concealment and support provided by the jungles to the Vietcong but also inadvertently resulted in substantial damage to the Vietnamese ecosystem and economy, as well as having long-term health impacts on those who came into contact with it.