Question

Why did the united states participate in the washington conference (1921) and the kellogg-briand pact (1928)? to reduce barriers to international trade to work with other nations to prevent future wars to form military alliances as a defense against aggression to expand american influence over asia and latin america

Answer 1

The United States participated in the Washington Conference and the Kellogg-Briand Pact to promote peace and disarmament but their lack of enforcement mechanisms limited their effectiveness. These efforts were part of a larger disarmament movement of the 1920s that aimed to reduce war chances and defense spending, and they reflected the interwar period's optimism for peaceful international relations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The United States participated in the Washington Conference in 1921 and the Kellogg-Briand Pact in 1928 with a goal to promote peace and disarmament after the destructive impact of World War I. The Washington Naval Conference led to agreements involving naval disarmament and the prevention of further military build-up in an effort to avoid a future arms race. The Kellogg-Briand Pact, on the other hand, was an international agreement that aimed to outlaw war as a tool of national policy. Despite the good intentions behind these treaties, the lack of enforcement mechanisms and obligations to act against violations ultimately undercut their effectiveness.

The Washington Conference produced several treaties that aimed to reduce the chances of war and cut defense spending, including the Five-Power Treaty, which established limitations on the size and construction of warships among major naval powers. Additionally, the Four Power Treaty sought to prevent territorial expansion in Asia. As part of the disarmament movement of the 1920s, these efforts reflected a broader hope for a lasting peace and economic stability post-WWI.

The Kellogg-Briand Pact was a more expansive attempt to curb the militaristic tendencies of nations by declaring war an illegal act in international relations. Signed by multiple nations, the pact represented a high point in the interwar period's peace efforts. Nonetheless, the failures of both the Washington Conference and the Kellogg-Briand Pact in preventing future conflicts underscored the limitations of international agreements in the face of rising tensions and the eventual onset of World War II.