Q&A ยท 1:57:50-1:58:24

What happens if Britain hides over-limit G3s

Secretly completing G3s with 16.5-inch guns would anger the treaty powers but probably lead to diplomatic revision rather than war.

Question

What if Britain ignored the Washington treaty and secretly built two over-limit G3s?

Short answer

The other powers would protest strongly, but treaty revision is more likely than war or forced scrapping.

Notes

The scenario assumes Britain builds two G3s outside the declared limits while claiming compliance. Other powers would be furious once the ships appeared, but war solely over the violation would be unlikely. A period of diplomatic hostility followed by pressure to revise the rules is more plausible. One possible settlement would normalize the 16.5-inch calibre instead of forcing Britain to discard the ships.