In 1924 Canaris went to Japan to supervise a U-boat construction programme that violated Treaty of Versailles restrictions. Senior naval policy sought a more cooperative relationship with Britain, but he argued for retaining alternatives. He built them through German shipping magnates and industrialists, Spanish merchants and the Spanish Navy, and Argentine finance. Covert rearmament depended on these commercial and international relationships as well as secret naval offices.
Chapter · 13:53-15:03
Treaty evasion through international naval networks
A Japan-based U-boat programme and Canaris's commercial contacts show how the Reichsmarine built international networks to evade Treaty of Versailles restrictions.