Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:36:10-1:40:29

How an oversized Japanese cruiser fleet could distort treaty limits

A Japanese force of twenty heavy cruisers would pressure Britain and the United States to seek much larger cruiser allowances.

Heavy CruisersImperial Japanese NavyLight CruisersLondon Naval TreatyNaval Arms RaceRoyal NavyUS Navy
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Question

How would the London Naval Treaty change if Japan had already built twenty 10,000-ton heavy cruisers?

Short answer

The other powers would seek sharply higher allocations, likely producing a broader cruiser arms race rather than the historical limits.

Notes

The hypothetical twenty Japanese 10,000-ton heavy cruisers total about 200,000 tons, far above Japan's historical 108,000-ton London allocation. Applying the same ratio to the American historical allowance would push the United States toward roughly 360,000 tons of heavy cruisers. Britain would still calculate requirements from global stations and could demand both a very large heavy-cruiser force and dozens of 6-inch cruisers for trade protection. The result is less a stable treaty adjustment than a doubled cruiser settlement that institutionalizes a much more expensive arms race.