Britain, France and the Origins of German Disarmament, 1916-19

摘要

This article re-examines the origins of Germany's disarmament by the terms of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. It focuses on British and French policy during World War I and at the Paris Peace Conference. It deals with both land and naval disarmament, and considers the influence of American diplomacy and of Allied public opinion. It traces the connections between the forced disarmament of the defeated countries and proposals for a larger disarmament regime to be negotiated between the victors. It stresses the role of inter-allied rivalries in undermining the stability of the disarmament settlement.