Disarmament Caroline Sheppard

President Wilson’s Fourteen Points Number four of the fourteen points states, “Adequate guarantees given and taken that national armaments will be reduced to the lowest point consistent with domestic safety.”

The Treaty of Versailles The German Army was reduced to 100,000 men, and a draft was not allowed. Tanks, aircraft, or heavy artillery was not to be manufactured for German forces. The German navy was reduced to 6 battleships, 6 light cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 12 torpedo boats. Germany had to build ships for the Allies Only Germany disarmed at the Treaty of Versailles. It was “enforced unilateral disarmament.”

The Treaty of Saint Germain Austrian representatives signed the treaty, limiting the Austrian army to 30,000 volunteers.

The Treaty of Neuilly Signed on November 27, 1919 The result: Bulgaria’s army was limited to 20,000

Treaty of Trianon Hungary’s army was limited to 35,000 Signed on June 4, 1920

Four Power Treaty The result of this treaty was satisfactory for the western participants. The treaty was signed by America, Britain, France, and Japan. Japan agreed to limit the number of capital ships in her navy to 60% of the number of capital ships that Britain and America have.

Washington Naval Conference This conference led to an end in building new battleship fleets and the ships that were built were limited in size and armament. Many existing capital ships were “scrapped” Some ships under construction were turned into aircraft carriers instead.

London Naval Conference Regulated Submarine Warfare Limited Naval Ship building

Geneva Naval Conference held to discuss naval arms limitation Restraints were applied to the “naval arms race” referencing the Washington conference After 6 weeks the conference was closed without reaching an agreement

The League of Nations One of the League’s goals was disarmament. Specifically Article 8 focuses on disarmament

Article 8 of the League of Nations “..maintenance of peace requires the reduction of national armaments to the lowest point consistent with national safety and the enforcement by common action of international obligations.” The League will determine the amount of weapons each country belonging in the league has based on the potential danger surrounding the country.