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Message:: [QUOTE="Dnas, post: 7491913, member: 93707"]Rather than an inferiority complex at that stage, Japan through the late 1800s was just trying to catch up. When Japan defeated the Russian fleet at the battle of Tsushima Strait in 1905, the world took notice. It was the next year that Britain rendered all battleships obsolete, with the building of the battleship, HMS Dreadnought. Britain built the first of that new breed for Japan in 1912, the battlecruiser Kongo, with the next 3 in the class built in Japan. Japan's aim BEFORE WW1, was to continue to dominate much of the north western Pacific Ocean. Japan was nominally on the side of the victors in WW1, and after the war, the US convened the "Washington Naval Conference", which tried to limit the growth of naval power that happened before WW1.  However, of the 5 naval powers that attended, US and Britain were "allowed" more battleships and aircraftcarriers in the ratio of 5 to 3 to Japan, and 3 to 1 for France & Italy. In practical terms, US & Britain could retain or build 15 battleships & 5 aircraftcarriers, to Japan's 9 battleships and 3 aircraft carriers. Japan was affronted, and at that point made to feel like they were inferior partners. Although they signed the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922, they later withdrew, and went about building up their fleet. It was this snubbing that placed Japan on a collision course later, and militaristic footing through the late 1920s and 1930s.[/QUOTE]