Description:
The Defoliation of America by historian Amy M. Hay is a rigorously researched and compelling account of the rise of herbicide use--and resistance to it--in the United States during the twentieth century. Centering on Agent Orange and related chemicals, Hay traces how citizens, scientists, veterans, and activists challenged government and industry narratives about safety and risk. Through detailed case studies and interdisciplinary analysis, the book reveals how grassroots protest reshaped environmental policy, public health awareness, and the limits of scientific authority. Essential for readers of environmental history, political science, and American studies, this work offers a powerful examination of how ordinary citizens influenced national debates over chemicals, war, and accountability.
Review Quotes:
"The Defoliation of America is an extraordinary achievement. Amy Hay argues that protesters fought the use of chemical herbicides in the US and internationally (especially during the Vietnam War). Hay reveals how a diverse group of advocates challenged government, military, and corporate claims that Agent Orange herbicides were safe. More than any other study, The Defoliation of America demonstrates the extent of the widespread use of Agent Orange herbicides in America that coincided with extensive deployment during the Vietnam War and the impassioned protests these actions inspired."--Frederick Rowe Davis, author of Banned: A History of Pesticides and the Science of Toxicology
"The Defoliation of America is a wide-ranging, detailed study of arguably the most important anti-toxics movement in modern American history--the protests against the use of 'Agent Orange.' Displaying excellent research, with a focused empathy on the stories of the victims and the activists, this book makes significant contributions to the field of American environmental and anti-toxics activism."--Robert Gioielli, author of Environmental Activism and the Urban Crisis: Baltimore, St. Louis, Chicago
"The Defoliation of America is a welcome addition to the existing literature on the history of chemicals [and] an important book that reframes the story of Agent Orange. It is a book that gives voice to the women, veterans, and citizen groups that challenged the political and scientific consensus of the postwar period to reduce the use, exposure, and long-term impacts of phenoxy herbicides."--Technology and Culture