1921-1922
Washington Naval Conference
① United States② Great Britain③ Japan④ France⑤ Italy⑥ Belgium⑦ China⑧ The Netherlands⑨ Portugal
Who?
o To discuss naval reductions and the situation in the Far East
Why?
United StatesI. To restrain Japanese naval
expansion in the waters of the west Pacific
II. To eliminate Anglo-American tensions by dissolving the Anglo-Japanese alliance
III. To agree on a naval ratio with Japan
IV. To push Japan to accept a continuation of the Open Door Policy in China
Ulterior Motives?
Great BritainI. Global position threatened
by a multitude of military obligations that far exceeded possible military capacity
II. To achieve peace and stability in the western Pacific
III. To avoid a naval arms race with the United States
IV. To stop Japanese encroachment onto British territories
A. SingaporeB. Hong Kong
Ulterior Motives?
Ulterior Motives?
JapanI. To sign a naval treaty with
Britain and the United States
II. To obtain official recognition of Japanese presence in Manchuria and Mongolia
A. Desire to remain in control of Yap, Siberia, Tsingtao
When?
November 12, 1921 – February 6, 1922
o In Washington D.C.
o Called by President Warren G. Harding
Three major treaties emerged from the conference
1. The Five-Power Treaty2. The Four-Power Treaty3. The Nine-Power Treaty
What Happened?
Signatories at the Washington Naval Conference
Short Termo Froze the construction of new fortifications
and naval facilities in the Western Pacifico Japan was left supreme power in the Far Easto Led to the decommission of several naval shipso Upheld the status quo in the Pacific
Ramifications?
Long Termo Made US defense of the
Philippines from a Japanese attack nearly impossible
o Improved relations between the major world powers
o Spread the navies of Britain and the United States widely
Unfortunate consequences for China in the 1930’s when the US refused to become involved with Japanese aggression
o Treaties were later modified (London Naval Treaty of 1930, Second London Naval Treaty of 1936)
o Led to new and innovative battleships as only certain ships were limited by the Naval Treaty
Ramifications?
The Hipper Class of Naval Ships were built to flout the conditions of the Washington Naval Treaty
Thank You!