Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 18:31-19:32

The 1930 London conference and earlier Washington treaties

The 1930 London Naval Conference largely carried earlier Washington arrangements forward because reopening them would complicate agreement.

Four Power TreatyInterwar NavyLondon Naval TreatyNaval DiplomacyNaval TreatiesWashington Naval Conference
Watch at this timeFull video guide
Question

Did the 1930 London Naval Conference revisit the other treaties negotiated at Washington?

Short answer

It largely reaffirmed the earlier arrangements without substantially renegotiating them, because reopening them would have made agreement harder.

Notes

The London conference largely restated the earlier Washington arrangements without substantially renegotiating them. Some participants wanted revisions, but leaving those provisions alone helped secure agreement. Carrying earlier commitments forward left their substance largely untouched. A qualified recollection suggests that particular wording left some provisions continuing to operate, although the details remain uncertain.