"PARITY" IN NAVAL DEFENSE

"PARITY" IN NAVAL DEFENSE. "Parity" was the philosophy behind the naval armament treaties adopted at the Washington Conference of 1921 and 1922. The United States agreed to reduce its capitalship and aircraft carrier tonnage until it equaled that of the British fleet and was five-thirds the size of Japan's navy. Restrictions on Asian naval bases gave Japan near parity with Britain and America for Pacific operations. Japan consented to withdraw from northern China and to sign the Nine-Power Treaty that guaranteed Chinese political and territorial integrity. In 1936 the United States, Great Britain, and Japan failed to renew the limitation treaties when American and British delegates refused Japanese demands for naval parity in the Far East.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fanning, Richard W. Peace and Disarmament: Naval Rivalry and Arms Control, 1922–1933. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 1995.

Dudley W. Knox/E. M.

See also London Naval Treaties; Warships; Washington Naval Conference.