With the war in Vietnam, US officials had to look at the possibility of maintaining longstanding troops in South Vietnam should a situation like Korea arises. In Fraser’s 1970 report, he looks at the specifics of positioning US troops in South Vietnam. He focuses strongly on accommodations, such as the needs given the current circumstances in relation to other bases, and also focuses on the desires and views of the neighboring US allies (ROC, ROK, Japan, etc.). After looking at the current attitudes and possible future attitudes of each country, Fraser gives his predictions of the future.
With the uncertainty of Vietnam, Fraser deemed it necessary to prepare for American bases in South Vietnam. In this regard, he looks at basing from a geopolitical and military standpoint. He asses the past, present, and future of warfare, diplomacy, and the interests of all nations involved.
“South Vietnam is not covered because the future of US bases there depends upon the outcome of the current hostilities. Should the conflict end in an international arrangement for maintaining peace, continued American use of bases in South Vietnam would probably be foreclosed.” [p. 9]
This report was released to the Nautilus Institute under the US Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).