Ivano Bonomi's government handled Italy's position during the Washington negotiations, before Luigi Facta's government and Mussolini's rise later in 1922. Its naval objective was equality with France. The strategic argument was that a French fleet committed to matching Italy in the Mediterranean would have less freedom to protect dispersed colonies. Italy's prewar shipbuilding and competition with Austria-Hungary also form part of the explanation for its negotiating position. Italian yards could produce recognisably standardised classes, even though consistency in ammunition and propellant supply remained a separate problem. The account distinguishes industrial capability, regional commitments, and the political changes that followed the conference.
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Italy's simple objective: naval equality with France
Italian policy focused on equality with France, a treaty outcome that could confine French power to either Mediterranean defence or colonial commitments.