Cam Ranh Bay
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Cam Ranh Bay is a deep-water seaport in Vietnam. An inlet of the South China Sea situated on the southeastern coast of Vietnam, between Phan Rang and Nha Trang, it is often considered one of the finest such seaports in the world.
Historically, the bay has been significant from a military standpoint. The French used it as a Naval base for their forces in Indochina. It was also used as a staging area for the Imperial Russian fleet prior to the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, and by the Japanese navy in preparation for the invasion of Malaysia in 1942. Later, it was the site of an important American military complex during the Vietnam War. After the fall of Saigon and the unification of Vietnam, Cam Ranh Bay became an important cold war naval base for the Soviet Pacific Fleet.
In 1979, the Soviet Government signed an agreement with Vietnam for a 25-year lease of the base. The Russian government continued this arrangement in a 1993 agreement that allowed for the continued use of the base for signal intelligence, primarily on Chinese communications in the South China Sea. By this time, most combat troops and naval vessels had been withdrawn, with only support personnel for the listening station remaining. As the original 25-year lease was nearing its end, Vietnam demanded $200 million in annual rent for the continued operation of the base. Russia balked at this, and decided to withdraw all personnel. On May 2, 2002, the Russian flag was lowered for the last time. Currently, Vietnamese officials are considering turning the base into a civilian facility, similar to what the Philippine government did with the American Clark Air Base.