If the London naval treaties had failed — Bruships 76: Five New Books & a Lot of New Questions at 2:30:35

Question

What happens if the Washington system is not renewed through the London naval treaties?

Short answer

The treaty system likely collapses in the early 1930s, allowing Britain to restart major construction years earlier than its rivals can match.

Notes

The treaty framework would likely unravel around 1933 or 1934 if the 1930 London agreement failed. The Royal Navy could then begin battleship and carrier programs roughly four years before its historical surge. Existing yards and suppliers would need reconditioning rather than complete wartime reconstruction, giving Britain a major head start over Germany, Italy and Japan. The United States might respond more slowly because funding remained politically difficult, but both Anglo-American navies possessed industrial depth their rivals could not easily match.

Source

Video

Bruships 76: Five New Books & a Lot of New Questions

Date

17 Apr 2022

Time

2:30:35-2:42:55

Kind

Q&A

Transcript passages

2:30:35-2:32:33The treaty framework would likely unravel around 1933 or 1934 if the 1930 London agreement failed. The Royal Navy could then begin battleship and carrier programs roughly four years before its historical surge.
2:39:33-2:42:55The Royal Navy could then begin battleship and carrier programs roughly four years before its historical surge. Existing yards and suppliers would need reconditioning rather than complete wartime reconstruction, giving Britain a major head start over Germany, Italy and Japan. The United States might respond more slowly because funding remained politically difficult, but both Anglo-American navies possessed industrial depth their rivals could not easily match.