Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 58:58-59:39

A counterfactual postwar armoured-cruiser category

A different treaty system might have paired roughly 20,000-ton armoured cruisers with 10-inch guns and 10,000-ton light cruisers with 6-inch guns.

6-inch Guns10-inch GunsArmoured CruisersNaval Treaties
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

What might a distinct post-First World War armoured-cruiser treaty category have looked like?

Short answer

One suggested framework uses about 20,000 tons with 10-inch guns, paired with a separate 10,000-ton, 6-inch light-cruiser category.

Notes

One counterfactual treaty system would separate a true postwar armoured cruiser from a light cruiser. A 10-inch gun could form the upper limit for an armoured cruiser of roughly 20,000 tons, while a separate light-cruiser category used a 10,000-ton ceiling and 6-inch guns. Navies never agreed to build around this framework. The thought experiment shows how the historical 8-inch cruiser occupied a compromise space created by treaty definitions.