Washington Naval Conference (1921)

Washington Naval Conference (1921)

• Ostensibly is a disarmament conference
• Wilsonian notion - "Cosus belli"
• After WWI, there is a naval arms race between the British and the US
• US has become a naval power during WWI and by 1918, we reach parity with the British
• Facilitated by Teddy's acquisition of the Panama Canal
• We can now be a two ocean power
• Also the Spanish American War, the acquisition of Hawaii, and the open door in China projected US power into Pacific
• US presence in Pacific has brought US into conflict with Japan, augmented by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance of 1902 (20 years)
• British naval policy in the 19th and into the 20th century is to be 110% of the 2nd and 3rd greatest naval powers
• High Seas Fleet concept is being repeated by the US
• Brits are engaged in an expensive naval arms race with the US at a time when they are deeply in debt
• Brits and their  growing labor party also want to increase the welfare state
• Japan wishes to secure their position in Asia
• US
• Republican administration (Harding) and Charles Evans Hughes/Henry Cabot Lodge/Elihu Root
• Lower taxes and a trend in the US back towards isolationism
• US also foresees a war with Japan, which is complicated by the Anglo-Japanese Alliance
• US goals
1. End the Anglo-Japanese Alliance (without telling Japan) in 1922
2. Favorable naval ratio with Japan
3. Reaffirmation of the open door policy (free trade) in China
• Ishii-Lansing with Japan
• US is willing to accept naval parity with Britain if they dump Japan
• GB
• British goals
• Concerns over Japanese expansion in China during WWI and also concerned with the US expansion of its specific fleet
• Balance of power/status quo
1. End arms race with SU and accept naval parity
2. Protect their spheres of influence in central China from Japanese expansion
3. Protect the interests of the dominions in the region (India, Australia, and New Zealand) and their key possessions of Hong Kong and Singapore
• Japan
• Concerns with equal treatment (denial of racism with League)
• Japanese goals
1. Acceptable naval ratios with British and US
2. Recognition of their sphere in Manchuria and Mongolia (21 demands)
3. Shantung peninsula from Germany confirmed (negotiable)
• US hosts this conference and, through espionage, the US has cracked the Japanese diplomatic code
• US knows what Japan will accept as terms
• Three treaties
• 4 power, 5 power, and 9 power treaties
• 4 Power
• US, GB, Japan, and France agree to territorial status quo
• Shantung goes back to China
• 9 Power
• A mutual affirmation of open door in China
• 4 + Italy, Belgium, Dutch, Portugal, and China
• 5 Power
• Naval arms
• 5:5:3:1.7:1.7
• GB:US:Japan:Italy:France
• GB and US have at least two ocean navies, and Japan just a single ocean navy
• These limitations primarily focus on battleships
• Total tonnage limits - 525,000 tons and an individual maximum of 35,000 tons
• Result for US
• Decommission 15 battleships (old) and two news ones
• Also stop construction on 13 more
• Also a similar agreement on aircraft carriers (135,000 tons)
• GB, US and Japan also agree on submarine parity with tonnage limit
• US and Brits are in naval (and later world view) accord