Four-Power Pact
Quick Summary
The Four-Power Pact was a treaty signed in 1921 by the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and France. It stipulated that the signatories would consult each other if any two of them had a dispute concerning Pacific affairs. The treaty also stated that the parties would respect each other's rights to their Pacific islands and mandates. This agreement was significant because it led to the abrogation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which had previously helped maintain a balance of power in East Asia. The pact was part of the broader Washington Conference, which aimed to limit naval arms races and establish security in the Pacific region.1
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Washington ConferenceThe Four-Power Pact, signed by the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and France on December 13, 1921, stipulated that all the signatories would be consulted in the event of a controversy between any two of them over “any Pacific question.” An accompanying agreement stated they would…
Read MoreThe Four-Power Pact, signed by the United States, Great Britain, Japan, and France on December 13, 1921, stipulated that all the signatories would be consulted in the event of a controversy between any two of them over “any Pacific question.” An accompanying agreement stated they would…
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20th-century international relationsThe organization of power in the PacificA Four-Power Pact negotiated at the conference (November 1921–February 1922) enjoined the United States, Japan, Britain, and France to respect each other’s Pacific island dependencies for 10 years. A Nine-Power Pact obliged all parties to respect “the sovereignty, the independence, and the territorial and administrative integrity…
Read MoreA Four-Power Pact negotiated at the conference (November 1921–February 1922) enjoined the United States, Japan, Britain, and France to respect each other’s Pacific island dependencies for 10 years. A Nine-Power Pact obliged all parties to respect “the sovereignty, the independence, and the territorial and administrative integrity…
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