The Defence Requirements Sub-Committee, British Strategic Foreign Policy, Neville Chamberlain and the Path to Appeasement

English Historical Review

Volumn 118, Issue 477, 2003, Pages 651-684

  Neilson, Keith ^a  

^a ROYAL MILITARY COLLEGE OF CANADA   (Canada)

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EID: 84926420351     PISSN: 00138266     EISSN: 14774534     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1093/ehr/118.477.651     Document Type: Article

References (183)

1. The standard account is N. H. Gibbs, Grand Strategy, Volume I: Rearmament Policy (London, 1976). Important accounts include Stephen Roskill, Naval Policy Between the Wars, Volume II: The Period of Reluctant Rearmament 1930-1939 (London, 1976), pp.146, 169-73;
2. Norman Rose, Vansittart. Study of a Diplomat (London, 1978), pp. 122-55;
3. Brian Bond, British Military Policy between the Two World Wars (Oxford, 1980);
4. Wesley Wark, The Ultimate Enemy. British Intelligence and Nazi Germany 1933-1939 (Ithaca, 1985), pp. 28-34;
5. Eunan O'Halperin, Head of the Civil Service. A Study of Sir Warren Fisher (London, 1989), pp. 227-65;
6. Gaines Post, Jr, Dilemmas of Appeasement (Ithaca, 1993), pp. 32-54;
7. Charles Morrisey and M. A. Ramsay, "'Giving a Lead in the Right Direction": Sir Robert Vansittart and the Defence Requirements Sub-Committee', Diplomacy & Statecraf, vi (i)(1995), 39-60;
8. Michael L. Roi, Alternative to Appeasement. Sir Robert Vansittart and Alliance Diplomacy, 1934-193/ (Westport, CT, 1997), pp. 25-54;
9. Christopher Bell, The Royal Navy, Seapower and Strategy between the Wars (London, 2000), pp. 99-102
10. B. J. C. McKercher, 'From Disarmament to Rearmament: British Civil-Military Relations and Policy Making, 1933-1934', Defence Studies, i (i)(2001), 21-48.
11. Rose, O'Halperin, Roi, Morrisey and Ramsay, see Stephen Roskill, Hankey. Man of Secrets, Volume III, 1931-1963 (London, 1974), pp. 86-119;
12. D. C. Watt, 'Sir Warren Fisher and British Rearmament against Germany', in id., Personalities and Policies (South Bend, Indiana, 1965), pp. 100-116.
13. G. C. Peden, British Rearmament and the Treasury (Edinburgh, 1979), pp. 160-7;
14. R. P. Shay, Jr, British Rearmament in the Thirties: Politics and Profits (Princeton, 1977).
15. Hankey, Fisher and Vansittart to MacDonald, 5 Oct 1933, MacDonald Papers, P[ublic]R[ecord]O[ffice] 30/69/483;
16. O'Halperin, Head of the Civil Service, pp. 196, 227.
17. In addition to Watt above, see his 'Britain, the United States and Japan in 1934', in id., Personalities and Policies, p. 85;
18. B. J. C. McKercher, Transition of Power. Britain's Loss of Global Pre-eminence to the United States, 1930-1945 (Cambridge, 1999), p. 170 and McKercher, 'Disarmament to Rearmament', 33.
19. Peter Bell, Chamberlain, Germany and Japan, 1933-4 (London, 1996), especially, pp. 174-78.
20. John Robert Ferris, Men, Money, and Diplomacy. The Evolution of British Strategic Foreign Policy, 1919-1926 (Ithaca, 1989), especially pp. 179-89.
21. Carolyn J. Kitching, Britain and the Problems of International Disarmament 1919-1920 (London and New York, 1999) completely ignores the DRC.
22. Bell, The Royal Navy, pp. 1-47.
23. John Ferris, 'Treasury Control, the Ten Year Rule and British Service Policies, 1919-1924', Historical Journal, xxx (4)(1987), 859-83.
24. Tadashi Kuramatsu, 'The Geneva Naval Conference of 1927: The British Preparation for the Conference, December 1926 to June 1927', Journal of Strategic Studies, xix (1)(1996), 104-21.
25. Minutes, 236th meeting of the C[ommittee of] I[mperial] D[efence], 5 Jul 1928 Cab 2/5;
26. Orest Babij, 'The Royal Navy and the Defence of the British Empire, 1928-1934';
27. John Ferris, "'It is our business in the Navy to Command the Seas": The Last Decade of British Maritime Supremacy, 1919-1929', both in Keith Neilson and Greg Kennedy (ed.), Far Flung Lines. Studies in Imperial Defence in Honour of Donald Mackenzie Schurman (London, 1997), pp. 171-89 and 124-70 respectively.
28. B. J. C. McKercher, 'A Sane and Sensible Diplomacy: Austen Chamberlain, Japan, and the Naval Balance of Power in the Pacific Ocean, 1924-1929', Canadian Journal of History, xxi (1986), 187-213.
29. B. J. C. McKercher, 'From Enmity to Cooperation: The Second Baldwin Government and the Improvement of Anglo-American relations, November 1928-June 1929', Albion, xxiv (1992), 65-88.
30. Gregory C. Kennedy, 'Britain's Policy-Making Elite, the Naval Disarmament Puzzle and Public Opinion, 1927-1932', Albion, xxvi (4)(1994), 623-43;
31. Orest M. Babij, 'The Second Labour Government and British Maritime Security, 1929-1931', Diplomacy & Statecraft, vi (3)(1995), 645-71.
32. Babij, 'Second Labour Government', 664.
33. Chamberlain to Hilda, his sister, 3 Jan 1932, Neville Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/766.
34. David Dutton, Simon. A Political biography of Sir John Simon (London, 1992).
35. Christopher Thorne, The Limits of Foreign Policy. The West, the League and the Far Eastern Crisis of 1931-1933 (New York, 1973), pp. 202-73.
36. 'The Basis of Service Estimates', Hankey, secret, 9 Jan 1931, Cab 21/2093;
37. 'The Basis of Service Estimates', CID 1055-B, Hankey, 23 Jun 1931, Cab 4/21;
38. 'The Basis of Service Estimates. Memorandum by the Foreign Office', Foreign Office [but Vansittart], 25 Jun 1931, Cab 4/21;
39. Minutes, 101st meeting of COS, 4 Feb 1932, Cab 53/4.
40. 'Annual Review for 1932 by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee', CID 1082-B, J. S. Milne (CIGS), F. L. Field (CNS), J. M. Salmond (CAS), 23 Feb 1932, Cab 4/21.
41. 'The Situation in the Far East', CID B-1084, Hankey (chairman), Fred C. Dreyer (Vice-Admiral), W. H. Bartholomew (Major-General), C. S. Burnett (Air Vice-Marshal), 22 Feb 1932, Cab 4/21.
42. 'Note by the Treasury on the Annual Review for 1932 by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee (1082 B)', CID 1087-B, Cab 4/21.
43. Minutes, 255th meeting, 22 Mar 1932, Cab 2/5.
44. Minutes, Cab 19(32), 23 Mar 1932, Cab 23/70.
45. Minutes of the committee, CJC (32), can be found in Cab 27/482.
46. The need to cooperate with the United States also in 'Economic Sanctions against Japan', CID 1083-B, Advisory Committee on Trade Questions in Time of War, 2 Mar 1932, Cab 4/21, discussed at the 255th meeting of the CID, 22 Mar 1932, Cab 2/5.
47. Also evident at the Ministerial Committee on Disarmament, DC(M) 32;
48. What follows is based on Kitching, Britain and the Problem, pp. 146-53.
49. Chamberlain to his sister, Ida, 19 Nov 1932, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/806.
50. Chamberlain to his sister, Hilda, 26 Nov 1932, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/807.
51. Fisher and Vansittart, joint note to Chamberlain, 28 Nov 1932, Treasury Office] 172/1507;
52. Fisher to Vansittart, 16 Dec 1932;
53. Vansittart to Fisher, 16 Dec 1932 and reply, 17 Dec 1932, all Leith Ross Papers, T 188/58.
54. For the Treasury's view generally, see the unsigned memorandum by Sir Frederick Leith Ross, 30 Dec 1932, Leith Ross Papers, T 188/58;
55. D. Fergusson (Chamberlain's principal private secretary) to Chamberlain, 27 Nov 1932, T 172/1507.
56. Eyres Monsell to Chamberlain, 14 Dec 1932, Admiralty Office] 116/3434.
57. 'Memo S/L', Field, 14 Nov 1932, but modified by the Admiralty Board on 8 and 9 Dec 1932, Adm 116/3434.
58. What follows is based on Chamberlain to Eyres Monsell, 10 Jan 1933, Adm 116/3434.
59. 'Navy Estimates for 1933', CP 25(33), Eyres Monsell, 8 Feb 1933, Cab 24/237. The RN's defence of its needs for an expanded Fleet Air Arm is in 'Requirements of the Fleet Air Arm', DC(M) 32, paper 42, Eyres Monsell, 31 Mar 1931, covering a memorandum by Chatfield, Cab 27/509.
60. DC (M) (32), minutes of 6th meeting, 20 Jan 1933, Cab 21/354.
61. For MacDonald's views, see his untitled memorandum, 31 Jan 1933 and, for Treasury views, Fergusson's undated note (but 31 Jan) for Chamberlain on MacDonald's paper, both T172/1512. A more reasoned approach is in an untitled memorandum by Leith Ross, 1 Feb 1932, T 172/1511.
62. Chamberlain to his sister, Hilda, 4 Feb 1933, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/815. The Prime Minister blamed Chamberlain: 'N. C.'s speeches on American debt have neither clarified the real issues in the American mind nor improved their general attitude to us.' diary entry, 5 Feb 1932, MacDonald Papers, PRO 30/69/1753/1.
63. On the earlier visit, see MacDonald to Chamberlain, 2 Jan 1933 and reply, 4 Jan, both T 172/1512;
64. Chamberlain to his sister, Hilda, 8 Jan 1933, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/812;
65. Chamberlain to his sister, Ida, 29 Jan 1933, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/814;
66. His remarks at the 2nd, 3rd and 4th meetings of the committee on British debts to America, BDA (33), 7, 8 and 9 February respectively, Cab 27/548.
67. Chamberlain to his sisters, Ida, 12 Feb 1933, and Hilda, 17 Feb 1933, both Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/816 and 817;
68. BDA (33), minutes, 6th meeting, 13 Feb 1933, Cab 27/548.
69. Kitching, Britain and the Problem, pp. 153-64.
70. R. Cecil to Edward Halifax, confidential, 27 Mar 1933, Cecil Papers, Add MSS 51084.
71. Ian Nish, Japan s Struggle with Internationalism. Japan, China and the League of Nations, 1931-1933 (London and New York, 1993), pp. 201-17.
72. Gordon W. Morrell, Britain Confronts the Stalin Revolution: Anglo-Soviet Relations and the Metro-Vickers Crisis (Waterloo, Ontario, 1995);
73. Keith Neilson, 'A Cautionary Tale: The Metro-Vickers Incident of 1933', in G. Kennedy and K. Neilson (ed.), Incidents and International Relations: Personalities, Perceptions and Power (Westport, CT, 2002), pp. 87-112.
74. Hankey to MacDonald, secret, 5 Apr 1933, Premier's Office] 1/152.
75. 'The Situation in the Far East', CID 1103-B, COS, most secret, 31 Mar 1933, Cab 4/22.
76. CID minutes, 258th meeting, 6 Apr 1933, Cab 2/5.
77. See MacDonald's occasional diary, MacDonald Papers, PRO 30/69/3.
78. Untitled memorandum by Leith Ross, 27 Apr 1933, Hopkins Papers, T175/79;, 2 May 1933 and undated reply, both Hopkins Papers, T175/83. T175/79 is full of gloomy telegrams.
79. For anti-Americanism, see Hopkins memorandum for Chamberlain, 5 May 1933, T 172/1815.
80. Vansittart to Leith Ross, 6 Jun 1933, T 172/1512;
81. Chamberlain's minute on Hopkins to Chamberlain, note, 6 Jun 1933, ibid.
82. Patricia Clavin, The Failure of Economic Diplomacy. Britain, Germany, France and the United States, 1931-36 (London, 1996).
83. Diary entry, 13 Jun 1933, MacDonald Papers, PRO 30/69/1753/1.
84. Chamberlain to his sister, Hilda, 23 Jul 1933, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/837.
85. Handwritten notes for this talk, n.d. (but 26 Oct 1933), T172/2081;
86. Chamberlain to his sister, Ida, 28 Oct 1933, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/1848.
87. 'Far East- Changing Situation Ashton Gwatkin, 3 Aug 1933, F[oreign] O[ffice] 371/17148/ F5189/5189/61 and minutes, especially Wellesley's (10 Aug).
88. Kitching, Britain and the Problem, pp. 163-71.
89. For example, diary entries, 18 Oct, 17 Nov 1933, MacDonald Papers, PRO 30/69/17 53/1;
90. Chamberlain to his sister, Hilda, 18 Nov 1933, Chamberlain Papers, NC 18/1/851.
91. 'Annual Review (1933) by the Chiefs of Staff Sub-Committee', COS, 12 Oct 1933, Cab 4/22.
92. Minutes, 261st meeting CID, 9 Nov 1933, Cab 2/6.
93. Minutes, Cab 62(33), z5 Nov 1933, Cab 23/77.
94. Minutes, Cab 57(33), 26 Oct 1933, Cab 23/77.
95. In FO 371/17338/W11987/11987/50 and written between 26 October and 1 December 1933. The authors are identified in the text.
96. DRC, minutes, ist meeting, 14 Nov 1933, Cab 16/109.
97. He had made this point privately to Chatfield;
98. See his letter, 10 Nov 1933, Cab 21/434.
99. DRC, minutes, 2nd meeting, 27 Nov 1933, Cab 16/109.
100. DRC, minutes, 3rd meeting, 4 Dec 1933, Cab 16/109.
101. Ishii Osamu, 'Markets and Diplomacy: the Anglo-Japanese Rivalries over Cotton Goods Markets, 1930-36', in Ian Nish and Yoichi Kibata (ed.), The History of Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1600-2000, Volume II: The Political-diplomatic Dimension, 1965-2000 (London and New York, 2000), pp. 51-77.
102. Vansittart's circular letter to the members of the DRC, 28 Dec 1933 and to MacDonald on January 1934 and replies, all Cab 21/387.
103. Chatfield to Vansittart, 10 January 1934, Cab 21/387.
104. DRC, minutes, 4th meeting, 18 Jan 1934, Cab 16/109.
105. 'Forecast by the Chief of the Naval Staff, DRC 6, Chatfield, Cab 16/109.
106. DRC, minutes, 5th and 6th meetings, 19 and 23 Jan 1933, Cab 16/109.
107. DRC, minutes, 10th meeting, 16 Feb 1934, Cab 16/109.
108. 'Note by Sir Warren Fisher as an addendum to the Defence Requirements Committee Report', DRC 19, secret, Fisher, 17 Feb 1934, Cab 16/109.
109. Found in collected form as 'Situation in the Far East (Memoranda)', DRC 20, 24 Feb 1934, Cab 16/109. The key memoranda were already written and available to Vansittartin December 1933. Also important is Wellesley's long minute commenting on all these papers, 18 Jan 1934, FO 371/18160/F29 5/295/61.
110. Fisher to Hankey, 17 Feb 1934, Cab 21/434.
111. Hankey to Fisher, 17 Feb 1934, Cab 21/434.
112. Hankey to Fisher and reply, both 20 Feb 1934, Cab 21/434.
113. 'Committee of Imperial Defence. Defence Requirements Sub-Committee Report', DRC14, Hankey, Chatfield, Ellington, Fisher, Montgomery-Massingberd and Vansittart, 18 Feb 1934, Cab 16/109.
114. See Gibbs, Rearmament Policy, pp. 97-8. Vansittart was unhappy about Ellington's blunder, but allowed himself to be soothed by Hankey, who pointed out that the matter would inevitably be re-considered and that the important thing was to accept the DRC report as a preliminary measure: Vansittart to Hankey, secret, 2 March 1934;
115. Hankey to Vansittart, secret, 5 March 1934 and secret reply, 6 March 1934, all Cab 21/434.
116. Figures are derived from 'Defence Requirements Sub-Committee. Report', DRC 14, Hankey, Chatfield, Ellington, Fisher, Montgomery-Massingberd, Vansittart, 28 Feb 1934, Cab 16/109.
117. Minutes, Cab 9(34), 14 Mar 1934;
118. NCM (35), minutes, 1st meeting, 16 Apr 1934, Cab 29/147. Supported by 'The Naval Conference, 1935', NCM (35) 3, 19 Apr 1934, Cab 29/148
119. Foreign Office objections in 'Anglo-Japanese Relations and the Questions of Naval Parity', NCM (35) 8, most secret, FO, 23 May 1934, Cab 29/148. The Admiralty favoured better relations with Japan, but rejected Fisher's ideas about the United States;
120. see 'The Naval Conference, 1935. Note by the First Lord of the Admiralty', most secret, 18 May 1935, Cab 29/148. My account should be read in conjunction with the illuminating discussion of naval disarmament policy found in Greg Kennedy, Anglo-American Strategic Relations and the Far East 1933-1939. Imperial Crossroads (London, 2002), pp. 134-48.
121. DC(M) (32), minutes, 40th meeting, 1 May 1934, Cab 27/507.
122. Most comprehensively in Peter Bell, Chamberlain, Germany and Japan, pp. 105-144. We disagree completely in interpretation.
123. DC(M) (32), minutes, 41st meeting, 3 May 1934, Cab 27/507.
124. Chatfield made this same point to Fisher, but did not share the latter's view that the British should not 'tie ourselves' to the United States; secret, 4 June 1934, Chatfield Papers, CHT 3/1, National Maritime Museum.
125. DC(M) (32), minutes, 44th meeting, 10 May 1934, Cab 27/507.
126. DC (M), minutes, 46th meeting, 17 May 1934, Cab 27/507;
127. E. J. Hodsoll (assistant secretary, Cabinet) to Hankey, secret, 18 May 1934, Cab 21/388.
128. Vansittart to Hankey, private, 30 May 1934, Cab 21/388 enclosing a note, which became 'Minute by Sir R. Vansittart', DC(M), paper 117, 2 Jun 1934 and Hankey to Vansittart, private and personal, 31 May 1934, Cab 21/388.
129. Neville Chamberlain Papers, NC 2/23A and his letter to Ida, his sister, 9 Jun 1934, ibid., NC 18/1/874.
130. 'Note by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Report of the Defence Requirements Committee', DC(M) (32), paper 120, N. Chamberlain, 20 Jun 1934, Cab 27/511.
131. Chatfield's minute (21 Jun 1934) on DC(M) (32), paper 120, previous note, Adm 116/3436. On the issue of the Dominions contributing to their own defence
132. G. C. Peden, 'The Burden of Imperial Defence and the Continental Commitment Reconsidered', Historical Journal, xxvii (2)(1984), 405-23.
133. Untitled memorandum by H. J. Batterbee (Assistant Undersecretary, DO) and C. R. Price (Principal Secretary, DO); secret letter from Batterbee to Hankey, 23 June 1934, Cab 21/388;
134. E. J. Harding (DO) to Hankey, secret and personal, 23 June 1934, ibid.
135. DC(M) (32), minutes, 50th meeting, 25 Jun 1934, Cab 27/507.
136. See also, 'Note by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Report of the Defence Requirements Committee', DC(M) (32) 120, N. Chamberlain, 20 Jun 1934, Cab 27/511.
137. Uri Bialer, The Shadow of the Bomber. The Fear of Air Attack and British Politics 1932-39 (London, 1980), pp 41-68
138. id. 'Elite Opinion and Defence Policy: Air Power Advocacy and British Rearmament during the 1930s', British Journal of International Studies, vi (1980), 32-51;
139. Patrick Kyba, Covenants Without the Sword. Public Opinion and British Defence Policy 1931-1935 (Waterloo, Ontario, 1983), pp. 75-in.
140. DC(M) (32), minutes, 51st meeting, 26 June 1934, Cab 27/507.
141. DC(M) (32), minutes, 52nd meeting, 2 July 1934, Cab 27/507.
142. Londonderry to Hankey, urgent and secret, 3 July 1934, Cab 21/388.
143. DC (M) (32), minutes, 53rd, 54th and 55th meetings, 12, 17 and 24 July 1934, Cab 27/507.
144. Fisher to Chatfield, secret, 11 July 1934, Cab 21/404 and reply, personal and secret, 16 July 1934, Cab 21/434.
145. A clear statement of it in the untitled memorandum in Annexure III, 27 July 1934, Adm 116/3436.
146. Figures from 'The Disarmament Conference 1932. Ministerial Committee. Defence Requirements Report', CP 205(34), Baldwin, 31 Jul 1934, Cab 24/250.
147. Hankey was critical of Chamberlain; see Hankey to MacDonald, personal & secret, 3 Aug 1934, Cab 21/434 and Hankey to Baldwin, private & personal, 23 Aug 1934, Hankey Papers, HNKY 4/26
148. Joseph Moretz, The Royal Navy and the Capital Ship in the Interwar Period. An Operational Perspective (London and Portland, 2002), pp. 65-102.
149. Nicholas Tracy, 'Admiral Sir Charles E. Madden (1927-1930) and Admiral Sir Frederick L. Field (1930-1933)', in Malcolm H. Murfett (ed.), The First Sea Lords. From Fisher to Mountbatten (Westport, CT, 1995), pp. 141-56
150. Bell, The Royal Navy, pp. 162-79.
151. Orest M. Babij, 'The Royal Navy and the Defence of the British Empire, 1928-1934', in G. Kennedy and K. Neilson (ed.), Far-Flung Lines. Essays on Imperial Defence in Honour of Donald Mackenzie Schurman (London, 1997), especially pp. 185-86.
152. For further on Chamberlain's anti-Americanism, see Greg Kennedy, "'Rat in Power": Neville Chamberlain and the Creation of British Foreign Policy, 1931-1939', in T. G. Otte (ed.), The Makers of British Foreign Policy: From Pitt to Thatcher (Basingstoke and New York, 2002), pp. 173-95
153. id., 'Neville Chamberlain and Strategic Relations with the US During his Chancellorship', Diplomacy & Statecraft, xiii (i)(2002), 95-120.
154. G. C. Peden, 'A Matter of Timing: The Economic Background to British Foreign Policy, 1937-1939', History, lxix (1984), 15-28.
155. His minute, 12 Oct 1935, on 'Strategical Situation in the Far East with Particular Reference to Hong Kong', COS 405, COS, 10 Oct 1935, FO 371/19343/F6416/717/61, where he reiterates his DRC view - that Germany was the principal threat, but notes that'. . . the Admiralty, & indeed all the other 5 members of the DRC, are still obsessed by the idea that the Japanese menace comes first'.
156. John R. Ferris, 'The Air Force Brats' View of History: Recent Writing and the Royal Air Force, 1918-1960', International History Review, xx (i)(1998), 118-43, especially 129-33;
157. id., 'Fighter Defence Before Fighter Command: The Rise of Strategic Air Defence in Great Britain, 1917-1934', Journal of Military History, lxiii (1999), 845-884;
158. Malcolm Smith, 'The Royal Air force, Air Power and British Foreign Policy, 1932-37', Journal ofContemporary History, xii (1977), 160-64;
159. Andid., "AMatter of Faith": British Strategic Air Doctrine before 1939', Journal of Contemporary History, xv (1980), 423-442.
160. As R. J. Overy, 'Air Power and the Origins of Deterrence Theory before 1939', Journal of Strategic Studies, xv (1)(1992), 87-90 makes clear, the technical barriers to creating an effective deterrent force lasted until at least 1939.
161. See G. A. H. Gordon, British Seapower and Procurement between the Wars. A Reappraisal of Rearmament (London, 1988), pp. 258-67
162. Jon Tetsuro Sumida, "'The Best Laid Plans": The Development of British Battle-Fleet Tactics, 1919-1942', International History Review, xiv (4)(1992), 681-700
163. id., 'British Naval Procurement and Technological Change, 1919-39', in Phillips Payson O'Brien, Technology and Naval Combat in the Twentieth Century and Beyond (London and Portland, Oregon, 2001), pp. 128-47.
164. A rthur Marder, 'The Royal Navy and the Ethiopian Crisis of 1935-36', American Historical Review, lxxv (5)(1970), 1327-1356;
165. Hoare to Eden, 'very pte. (please burn this)', 24 Sept 1935, Avon Papers, AP 14/1/450D and Roskill, Naval Policy, II, pp. 270-1.
166. Antony Best, "'That Loyal British Subject": Arthur Edwardes and Anglo-Japanese Relations, 1932-41', in J. E. Hoare (ed.), Britain and Japan. Biographical Portraits, Volume III (Richmond, 1999), especially, pp. 230-32.
167. A point also made by Daniel A. Baugh, 'Confusions and Constraints: The Navy and British Defence Planning, 1919-39', in N.A.M. Rodger (ed.) Naval Power in the Twentieth Century (London, 1996), pp. 101-19.
168. Wark, Ultimate Enemy, pp. 28-9;
169. McKercher, 'Disarmament to Rearmament', 41.
170. John Ferris, 'The Theory of a "French Air Menace", Anglo-French Relations and the British Home Defence Air Force Programmes of 1921-1925', Journal of Strategic Studies, x (i)(1987), 62-83;
171. Ferris, Men, Money, and Diplomacy, pp. 158-69.
172. 'Papers Prepared for the Use of the Chiefs of Staff in their Annual Review of Imperial Defence (1933)', CID, B-1112;
173. COS, minutes, 111th meeting, 20 Jun 1933, Cab 53/4.
174. This despite Roi, Alternatives to Appeasement, pp. 29-30
175. COS, minutes, 111th meeting, 20 Jun 1933, Cab 53/4.
176. This and the following from COS, minutes, 124th meeting, 24 Apr 1934, Cab 53/4.
177. Bell, Chamberlain, Germany and Japan, p. 57.
178. For the 'no bloc' policy, see Greg Kennedy, '1935: A Snapshot of British Imperial Defence in the Far East', in Neilson and Kennedy (ed.), Far Flung Lines, pp. 190-216.
179. The RN's budgets can be found in Sumida, 'British Naval Procurement', p. 129.
180. Joseph A. Maiolo, The Royal Navy and Nazi Germany, 1933-39.A Study in Appeasement and the Origins of the Second World War (London, 1998);
181. Christopher Bell, The Royal Navy, pp. 26-47.
182. Gill Bennett, 'British Policy in the Far East 1933-1936: Treasury and Foreign Office', Modern Asian Studies, xxvi (3)(1992), 545-68;
183. V. H. Rothwell, 'The Mission of Sir Frederick Leith-Ross to the Far East, 1935-1936', Historical Journal, xviii (i)(1975), 147-69.