The Concept of Yellow Rain - Research Paper Example

SFC HALE, STANLEY PREPARED FOR SFC HUDSON, HATTIE CBRN SLC 002-15 Yellow rain is a form of attack employed during warfare, more particularly referred to the cold war era. Yellow rain is usually used interchangeably for the substances containing T-2 mycotoxin which was first evidently used in a political incident involving USA and Soviet Union (SeaGrave 1981). To be precise, The Secretary of State of USA had alleged Soviet Union of giving mycotoxin to Laos and Vietnam as part of communist agenda and insurgency wave. The yellow rain was used in a variety of ways. Eyewitness accounts of refugees state that sometimes a yellow and sticky liquid would fall off planes and also helicopters (and hence the name yellow rain). Therefore, the US government made a case stating that around tens of thousands of people was killed on account of yellow rain since it contained contagious chemicals harmful for human life. However, the accusations were denied by Soviet Union while the UN investigations also didn’t prove to be futile in this context. In addition, a few of the samples containing the chemical were tested by an independent group of scientists which in reality proved to be merely honeybee feces. This discovery suggested that the liquid came about after defecating digested pollen out of bees swarms. Yet, there are conflicting views regarding these claims and various scientists offer diverse opinions on the subject. USA, however, haven’t backed off from the allegations till date and thus the issue is still often touched upon at various instances. For these reasons, the paper will present a study on various aspects of the yellow rain including a historic perspective and various hypothesis presented over time to explain the underlying concepts of the chemical. The concept of yellow rain emerged back in 1975 when various events in Vietnam and Laos took place with alleged involvement of Soviet Union. Refugees have reported that various instances which took place during the insurgency movement in these states involved chemical warfare via low flying helicopters or aircrafts (Ferrel 2013). These refugees describe that an oily yellow liquid which was later popularized as yellow rain was seen dropping from these aircrafts which produced chronic symptoms. These symptoms were related to but not limited to neurological disorders, for instance, seizures, bleeding and sometimes even blindness. These ailments were similar to those reported in Vietnamese insurgency which has occurred in Cambodia. In this context, a textbook maybe quoted which was authored by the Army Medical Department of USA which argued that around ten thousand individuals lost their lives in these attacks by virtue of yellow rain in Cambodia, Laos and even Afghanistan. However, the details related to these attacks were varying in nature and were inclusive of sprays, artillery shells, grenades, rockets, air-drops and other forms which produced dust or smoke powder or other materials resembling insects. Therefore, the chemical was employed in mysterious ways which distinguished it from other modes of warfare. As a reaction to accusations by USA, Soviet Union clearly rejected any such usage of chemical warfare and instead accused USA of using chemical weapons in Vietnam War. Therefore, a United Nations investigation was prompted in Thailand and Pakistan to test these claims, but was proved inconclusive. Given the intensity of the scenario, the concept of yellow rain has often been dealt as a scholarly subject and thus various researches have been conducted in this context. A study by the University of Minnesota dealt with the biochemical detailing of yellow rain. For this reason, the blook and urine samples of victims of such attacks of yellow rains were tested. As a result, tricothecene mycotoxins were found in these samples, also traces of DAS were identified (Spetz 2014). These findings prove that unconventional warfare was indeed employed in the insurgency movements, yet there isn`t consensus over the issue. In light of evidence, another independent study was conducted by a Harvard biologist who himself went to Laos to collect proof. His hypothesis suggested that yellow rain constitutes nothing but merely feces of honeybees collected from bee swamps which are harmless. Also, he concluded that since only the outer shell had survived (of the pollen) while the inner proteins had withered away, this suggested that the pollen had been digested by the honeybees. However, the US government counter-argued that the pollen had been added intentionally to make the substance easier to be inhaled and to retain these toxins in the human body for a longer time. This study further paved way for various other explanations regarding yellow rain as research in the area was further enhanced. (Spetz 2014) Another similar study by the Swedish, British and French governments also argued for the premise that the yellow rain comprises solely of pollens taken from honeybee feces. In other words, toxicology reports from various sources and victims were compiled to confirm that there were no traces of mycotoxins founds in these samples. Also, the argument that traces of mycotoxins were found in victims` body after a few months was refuted on grounds that this substance has an inherent property of being cleared from the blood stream after some hours and thus the possibility of detection in narrow. In addition, autopsy was performed on a fighter from Khmer Rouge who was also an alleged victim of yellow rain back in 1982, the sample showed traces of blackwater and malaria as well. These findings were further explained by the fact that mycotoxin infections and related fungal diseases were quite common and occurred often in the Southeast Asian region. Therefore, these studies rejected yellow rain as chemical warfare on grounds that such traces weren’t extraordinary occurrences and were characteristic to those regions where they were founded. To further prove the point, tests were conducted in a Canadian military laboratory on five individuals who had never been exposed to yellow rain, and mycotoxins were found in their bodies as opposed to those had been exposed to the rain and yet showed no signs of these traces. For this reason, in 1988, it was reported that exposure to mycotoxin may generally be a public health concern in Malaysia. Later, scientific evidence confirmed that various food contaminations can contain such toxins in the temperate regions usually. (Lamazares 2013) Therefore, conclusively, yellow rain is a disputed concept which emerged back in the cold war era when insurgency movements were instigated in Laos and Cambodia. During those times, a common mode of warfare was to use low flying aircraft of helicopters to shed yellow liquid substance on people. However, USA alleged Soviet Union of providing a toxic yellow powder to Laos and Cambodian communists to shower chemicals on victims. However, one viewpoint suggests that there isn`t enough evidence to support the allegation. That is, such a viewpoint rests on the premise that temperate zones may contaminate foods like maize and wheat and thus, certain fungi can product mycotoxins which can then be found in the blood streams and urine samples of the victims. However, another viewpoint argues that the pollen is added deliberately to retain the toxins in human body and also to allow toxins to pass through respiratory system of humans easily. Also, it argues that victims exposed to yellow rain have showed neurological symptoms and chronic ailments which points to the toxic chemicals contained in the yellow rain. Therefore, military courts of various states are still arguing over the concept and substance, and also its effect. Though the arguments of both sides are quite compelling, yet military courts should take up an unbiased approach and add scientific argumentative aspects to further strengthen the reliability and verifiability of the claims presented. Works Cited: Ferrell, B. (2014). Yellow rain. Llamazares, J., & Costa, M. J. (2003). The yellow rain. Orlando, Fla: Harcourt. Seagrave, S. (1981). Yellow rain: A journey through the terror of chemical warfare. New York: M. Evans. Spetz, S. (2014). Yellow Rain. Newburyport: Open Road Media. Spetz, S. N. (2014). Yellow rain: The Cold War deadliest threat is nowhere to be found. Read More