A government's choice of delegates can reveal priorities that its stated objectives leave unclear. The Dutch 1913-14 battleship tender provides the comparison: British and German yards answered the same requirement with different emphases on capabilities and secondary missions. Signatory delegates could shape negotiations, report back to their governments, and decide whether to put their names to the result. Other specialists could advise them, but could not commit a state in the same way. The delegates' responsibilities and experience therefore help explain the choices made during a conference.
Chapter · 0:11-5:21
Reading a treaty through its delegates
Who each government sent to Washington reveals its priorities and whether the resulting treaty could win support at home.