Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:00:58-1:03:59

How Tillman-sized carriers could reshape Washington

Four immense American carriers would push the Washington system toward much larger carrier tonnage allowances and equivalent conversion rights for Britain and Japan.

Aircraft CarriersLexington Class BattlecruisersNaval TreatiesTillman Maximum Battleship DesignsWashington Naval Treaty
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Question

What if Senator Tillman had promoted an armored carrier based on one of his maximum-battleship designs?

Short answer

It would likely produce early super-carriers and force much higher, differently distributed carrier limits at Washington.

Notes

The counterfactual turns a Tillman-derived armored carrier into an early super-Lexington. Four such ships would already consume roughly 160,000 tons, yet the United States would still want additional carriers. Britain and Japan would demand comparable conversion opportunities and larger national carrier allowances during the Washington negotiations. The result might favor Britain, which could distribute the same tonnage across more medium fleet carriers instead of concentrating it in four enormous hulls.