DISARMAMENT

One of Wilson’s Fourteen Points: Disarmament.

Article 8: Plans are drafted by the Council for the general reduction of nation armaments

Article 9: A permanent advisory commission on armaments is to be appointed

LEAGUE OF NATIONS DISARMAMENT COMMISSIONTo check the sale of arms by private manufacturers

DISARMAMENT

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

Purpose: To disarm! Disarm what?: Naval expenditure. Britain (protecting its empire) US and Japan were investing large sums of money on their naval fleet.

Purpose: Financial burden for UK and Japan – couldn’t really aff ord to continue

spending.

Diff use the tension that was increasing between Japan and the USA – competing interests in China

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

Who organised it? The US government very much the initiator of the conference.

Interesting, considering they were not interested in being part of the

League of Nations!

Why is the US getting involved?Concerned about the instability in

China. ‘Warlord era’ left China weak and invited foreign

intervention. US wanted to reduce naval expenditure as did Japan. Neither the US, Britain or Japan could really keep up the naval fl eets.

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

RESULTS:1) It was the most successful of the post-war disarmament

conferences. BUT success not permanent.TYPICAL OF THE DISARMENT CONFERENCES! Produced very limited and short term results.2) There was a decision to limit the size and number of

battleships – limiting size of cruisers and aircraft carriers3) Maintain a constant ratio naval armament 5:5:3 = USA,

UK and Japan4) Limit the construction of bases in the Pacifi c – that

meant Japan had dominance as UK and the USA couldn’t build new bases

5) It did destroy weapons and placed limits on future armaments

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

6) Four Power agreement (1921) = USA, UK, France, Japan. Guaranteed their possessions in Asia. And agreed to defend each other if attacked. IDEA? – To reduce the possibility of confl ict.

7) Nine Power Agreement (1922) = USA, Britain, France, Japan, Italy, Belgium, China, Netherlands and Portugal

Agreed to respect China’s sovereignty Agreed to the ‘Open Door’ whereby all countries were to

have equal trading rights in China Agreed to discuss problems of common interest

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

What is the message of the political cartoon?

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

Other results:1) They constituted a positive step towards preventing a naval

arms race.2) They signalled the end of Britain’s naval domination as

Britain accepted parity with the USA.3) They mark the partial withdrawal of the British from East

Asia and meant that US power in East Asia was now greater than that of Britain

4) Ships under 10 000 tons were not restricted, e.g. destroyers, light cruisers and submarines

5) The treaties did not cover land forces6) Japan was prepared to accept the terms throughout the

1920’s7) No mechanism for enforcing the agreement8) The USSR not invited to the Washington Conference – big

mistake as USSR a potential force in the Pacifi c.

WASHINGTON CONFERENCE (1921 –1922)

Purpose: The third in a series to reduce naval armaments

Who was there?USA, France, Britain, Italy and Japan

Results: Approve the extension of the Washington Naval Treaty and freeze building ships for a further 5

years

New ratio for the USA, UK and Japan – now 10:10:7

France and Italy refused to take part! – BUT agreed to continue the ban on ships for another fi ve years.

The Great Depression meant that the nations were prepared to cut spending on arms.

LONDON NAVAL CONFERENCE 1930

LONDON NAVAL CONFERENCE 1930

What is the message of the cartoon?

Purpose: The previous treaties Washington (1922) and the London Naval Treaty (1930) were due to expire. Time to renew the terms!

Result:

LONDON NAVAL TREATY 1936

FAILURE!Japan walked out because it wanted to have parity with the USA and Britain. The Italians walked out too! Germany, Japan and Italy were re-arming!

LONDON NAVAL TREATY 1936

Purpose: Disarm, Disarm and Disarm!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwbrg0R5o8w7 minutes long – an excellent view of the events and high hopes of the world disarmament conference.League of Nations had been planning the conference

for five years.China and Japan were already at warRise of extremism in Italy and Germany

THE GENEVA DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE (1932 - 1934)

THE GENEVA DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE (1932 - 1934)

Issues:

Germany and France couldn’t agree.

Either France should disarm down to Germany’s level or Germany should be allowed to re-arm.

Neither scenario was acceptable to France, because they feared Germany’s capacity to attack France

France wanted guarantees! i.e. inspections, peace-keeping forces

US and British representatives showed sympathy towards German claims, arguing that the Versailles Treaty was too harsh – needs revision

THE GENEVA DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE (1932 - 1934)

By 1933 Hitler had become Chancellor of Germany – he HATED the League of Nations and was looking for an excuse to withdraw from the Conference.

The issue of parity with France was still criticized so Hitler withdrew from the Disarmament conference and then the League of Nations.

The impasse over the balance of armed forces between France and Germany had given Hitler what he had been hoping for. Hitler now felt free to rearm openly, which he proceeded to do. German rearmament was stepped up in 1933 – 34 but it was in March 1935 that Hitler publically and decisively repudiated the military restrictions laid down at Versailles when he a announced the reintroduction of conscription.

THE GENEVA DISARMAMENT CONFERENCE (1932 - 1934)

1) The onset of the depression reduced the atmosphere of optimism and international cooperation. More nationalistic attitudes began to prevail. – Security became an issue.

2) Distinguishing between off ensive and defensive weapons. USA wanted to eliminate off ensive weapons to make the world feel safer.

3) When decisions were made, after long debates that weakened the conference’s aims there was no way to enforce those decisions.

4) Germany had been evading disarmament since the Rapallo Treaty – 1922

5) Disarmament would not be able to proceed unless ALL nations felt secure in reducing weapons

6) The conference was hypocritical. Germany showed that – either disarm to Germany’s level or re-arm to France’s level

7) Italy not interested in reducing its armed forces – had imperial ambitions

PROBLEMS FOR THE GENEVA CONFERENCE