Every major navy sought favorable treaty language. The United States sought permission to increase gun elevation, while Britain secured displacement rules that excluded water carried in torpedo bulges. American conversion allowances helped Lexington and Saratoga emerge as 36,000-ton aircraft carriers. France and Italy received limited permission to increase armour and gun calibre, while Britain could complete Renown's ongoing armour changes. Narrow definitions of weight, protection, and permissible alteration could preserve a substantial amount of fighting power.
Notable Point · 11:03-13:39
How treaty wording shaped refits and reconstruction
Gun elevation, torpedo-bulge accounting, and carrier-conversion allowances show how every navy sought technical advantage within naval treaty language.