The Geneva Naval Conference refers to a historical international diplomatic meeting that took place in Geneva, Switzerland, during the years 1927 and 1928. The conference was convened with the objective of tackling naval disarmament and arms control, primarily focusing on naval armaments in the aftermath of World War I.
The purpose of the Geneva Naval Conference was to establish agreements and frameworks to limit the naval arms race that had been escalating among several world powers at the time. Participating nations included major naval powers such as the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, France, and Italy, among others. The goal was to negotiate a reduction in naval armaments and promote international stability.
The conference sought to address various aspects related to naval disarmament, including the limitation of battleships, cruisers, destroyers, submarines, and aircraft carriers, as well as the prohibition of certain weapons and technologies. Several proposals were made during the Geneva Naval Conference, and while some agreements were reached on certain issues, overall, the conference did not achieve significant breakthroughs or comprehensive arms control measures.
Despite its limited success, the Geneva Naval Conference serves as an important milestone in the history of international efforts for disarmament and arms control. It highlighted the challenges of achieving consensus among major powers with competing interests and provided valuable lessons for future diplomatic efforts in arms limitation and peace-building processes.