Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 28:59-29:37

Why carrier limits emerged through successive naval treaties

Carrier limits were part of a gradual arms-control process in which negotiators first settled capital-ship rules and then broadened later agreements.

Aircraft CarriersNaval Arms ControlNaval TreatiesWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

Why did navies not immediately agree both total and individual limits for aircraft carriers?

Short answer

They eventually did, but treaty rules accumulated gradually as negotiators moved from capital ships to broader category limits.

Notes

A viewer asks why navies interested in aviation did not agree both total and individual carrier limits. They did, although the limits did not arrive all at once. Early treaties concentrated on capital ships before later negotiations extended overall tonnage rules to other categories. Naval arms control grew through cumulative bargaining rather than one comprehensive design.