dec 29, 1921 - Washington Naval Conference (Nov 1921)

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Worries about what's happening in seas near Japan → public agitation in US; (1921 -1922), Invitations go out to major naval powers except Russia, US refused to recognize their communist gov't, Double agenda included naval disarmament & situation in Far East; Secretary Hughes startled delegates - had comprehensive, concrete plan for 10-year holiday on construction of battleships & for scrapping huge dreadnoughts already built, Proposed that scaled-down navies of US and Brit should be equal w/ battleships & aircraft carriers, Japan on small end of ratio 5:5:3, Japanese ambassador sensitive to this issue;

Complex bargaining followed Hughes's proposals, Five-Power Naval Treaty of 1922 embodied Hughes's ideas on ship ratios, Compensation offered to insecure Japanese, Not subjected to restraints in possessions, including Philippines, Four-Power Treaty replaced 20-y/o Anglo-Japanese Alliance, Bound Britain, Japan, France, US to preserve status quo in Pacific (concession for Japanese), Hurt China aka "Sick Man of the Far East" w/ Nine-Power Treaty (1922), Ensured Open Door in China;

Hardingites happy about achievements in disarmaments but was illusory, No restrictions on small warships, other powers made cruisers, destroyers, subs, US lagged behind w/ armaments, Congress declared it was making no commitment to use of armed force/joint action after ratifying Four-Power Treaty, Rendered treaty as a dead letter, American ppl relied for security of words/wishful thinking instead of weapons/realism


Coolidge only half-heartedly pursued further naval disarmament after Washington Conference (1922)

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