If Japan and the Soviet Union each receive twelve capital ships, preserving the individual 5:3 ratio raises Britain and the United States to twenty apiece. At 35,000 tons per ship, the respective allowances become 420,000 and 700,000 tons. France and Italy each receive 280,000 tons, an increase of 105,000 tons that permits three additional full-size battleships. Britain and the United States gain room for five new ships each between 1930 and 1936, probably ordered in successive batches so later designs can respond to foreign construction. Permission to build three modern battleships could also strengthen Japan's pro-treaty faction by making participation visibly improve national strength. These totals give the leading navies more room to answer Soviet expansion, but a combined Japanese and Soviet allowance would still exceed either British or American tonnage.
Notable Point · 44:41-50:28
Capital-ship ratios for a six-power treaty
Twelve Japanese and twelve Soviet battleships push Britain and the United States toward twenty each, preserving the individual 5:3 ratio and permitting five new ships apiece.