London Disarmament Conference (1936)
The London Disarmament Conference of 1936 was held in London, United Kingdom, from December 9th, 1935 to March 25th, 1936. The treaty that was signed there was called the Second London Naval Treaty and it was signed by France, the United Kingdom, and the United states of America. Japan, who had signed The First London Naval Treaty withdrew from the conference and Italy, because of the invasion of Abyssinia, declined to sign the treaty. It was effective up until September 1st, 1939.
Facts
- The treaty limited the maximum size of the ships and the maximum calibre of the guns which they could carry
- Capital ships restricted to 35,000 ton standard displacement and 14-inch guns
- Submarines could not no longer be larger than 2,000 tons or have any gun armament of greater then 5.1-inches
- Light cruisers restricted to 8,000 tons and 6.1-inch or smaller guns
- Aircraft carriers restricted to 23,000 tons.
- With the beginning of the second World War on September 1st, 1939, the London Naval Treaty effectively ended.
- Capital ships restricted to 35,000 ton standard displacement and 14-inch guns
- Submarines could not no longer be larger than 2,000 tons or have any gun armament of greater then 5.1-inches
- Light cruisers restricted to 8,000 tons and 6.1-inch or smaller guns
- Aircraft carriers restricted to 23,000 tons.
- With the beginning of the second World War on September 1st, 1939, the London Naval Treaty effectively ended.
Isolation of the United States of America
Origin: This is a cartoon illustrated by Clifford Kennedy Berryman on November 26, 1936. It was published in the Washington Star newspaper and is considered a primary source.
Purpose: The purpose of this document is to show that the United States of America has is not tied down to what is happening with the League of Nations, hence it is isolated from Europe by the Atlantic Ocean and from Asian by the Pacific Ocean. So if turmoil was to erupt because the League of Nations collapsed, America would be considered safe.
Value: The illustrator is accurately portraying how the United States of America feels about the situations that are were currently happening because they could be considered safe from Europe. It shows how isolated America can be, having thanksgiving on their side of the world while all of Europe could be in war.
Purpose: The purpose of this document is to show that the United States of America has is not tied down to what is happening with the League of Nations, hence it is isolated from Europe by the Atlantic Ocean and from Asian by the Pacific Ocean. So if turmoil was to erupt because the League of Nations collapsed, America would be considered safe.
Value: The illustrator is accurately portraying how the United States of America feels about the situations that are were currently happening because they could be considered safe from Europe. It shows how isolated America can be, having thanksgiving on their side of the world while all of Europe could be in war.
Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament
Article II
After the date of the coming into force of the present Treaty, no vessel exceeding the limitations as to displacement or armament prescribed by this Part of the present Treaty shall be acquired by any High Contracting Party or constructed by, for or within the jurisdiction of any High Contracting Party.
Article III
No vessel which at the date of the coming into force of the present Treaty carries guns with a calibre exceeding the limits prescribed by this Part of the present Treaty shall, if reconstructed or modernized, be rearmed with guns of a greater calibre than those previously carried by her.
Origin:
This document is a small section of the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament that was signed in 1936 in London. It was signed by Great Britain, The United States of America, and France. This is a primary source since it has been taken straight out of the Treaty.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament was to limit the amount of capital warships that the navies around the world owned and reduce the size of the weaponry that they carried. It was to promote disarmament in the wake of the devastation of the First World War.
Value:
This document is a valuable document because it has been signed by three of the most important countries of the world. It shows how the favors went slightly against the Japanese and Italians.
After the date of the coming into force of the present Treaty, no vessel exceeding the limitations as to displacement or armament prescribed by this Part of the present Treaty shall be acquired by any High Contracting Party or constructed by, for or within the jurisdiction of any High Contracting Party.
Article III
No vessel which at the date of the coming into force of the present Treaty carries guns with a calibre exceeding the limits prescribed by this Part of the present Treaty shall, if reconstructed or modernized, be rearmed with guns of a greater calibre than those previously carried by her.
Origin:
This document is a small section of the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament that was signed in 1936 in London. It was signed by Great Britain, The United States of America, and France. This is a primary source since it has been taken straight out of the Treaty.
Purpose:
The purpose of the Treaty for the Limitation and Reduction of Naval Armament was to limit the amount of capital warships that the navies around the world owned and reduce the size of the weaponry that they carried. It was to promote disarmament in the wake of the devastation of the First World War.
Value:
This document is a valuable document because it has been signed by three of the most important countries of the world. It shows how the favors went slightly against the Japanese and Italians.
Sources
- Dönitz, Karl. Memoirs: Ten Years and Twenty Days. 1952.
- Holwitt, Joel I. "Execute Against Japan", PhD dissertation, Ohio State University, 2005, p.93.
- Milner, Marc. North Atlantic run : the Royal Canadian Navy and the battle for the convoys. St. Catherines, Ontario: Vanwell Publishing, 2006.
- Muir Jr., Malcolm. "Gun Calibers and Battle Zones: The United States Navy's Foremost Concern During the 1930s." Warship International no. 1 (1980): 24–35. ISSN 00430374OCLC 1647131
- Von der Poorten, Edward P. The German Navy in World War II. New York: T. Y. Crowell, 1969