As many Americans have no doubt already forgotten, and as some will never forget, Vietnam was visited not just by their flag's red, white and blue but also by Agents Orange, White and Blue; toxic herbicides named after the color of their containers. A total of 72 million poisonous liters were dumped over 16 percent of the country in an attempt to deprive Victor Charlie of forest cover.
Miraculously the ancient forests of Cuc Phuong National Park escaped what is possibly the most deliberate and orchestrated attempt ever made to destroy a nation's environment.
Vietnam's oldest national park is not, if you'll pardon the expression, out of the woods yet. The new assault grabs fewer headlines but is potentially as lethal as anything that ever tumbled out of a USAAF aircraft's belly.