The Peaceful Transition Of Maritime Supremacy From Great Britain To The United States In The Early Twentieth Century(1900-1922)

This article strives to unearth the deep reasons through studying the peaceful transition of maritime supremacy from the Great Britain to the United States in the early 20 th century, the analysis combined the international environment with the two sides’ comprehensive national strength, the bilateral relations and maritime power development. From the aspect of international environment, Britain had just experienced the First World War, especially great fights against Germany, which led to the decline of British maritime power directly. However, Japan and the United States had developed rapidly during the war, which strengthened the comprehensive national strength and naval power. After the war, Britain, America and Japan have mutual interests and conflicts. America had seized the developing opportunities at that critical moment,then it implemented the 1916 Big Naval Act, which inevitably contradicted to the British naval supremacy, but British felt powerless in the face of the cruel reality; at the same time, Japan had risen rapidly in Asia and Pacific area, attempting to start its ambitious expansion, especially monopolize China, which also directly harmed both British and American interests. Under the background of the complex international environment, crisscrossed conflicts and interests, Britain and America both flexibly adjust foreign policies in time. One step ahead, America held the Washington Conference in 1921. The two major topics of the conference agenda were: the first was naval disarmament of the world’s major countries, America first gained equal status with Britain’s naval power, which marked the British formally abandoned the Navy’s "Double Strength" Standard, which meant the peaceful transition of maritime supremacy from Great Britain to the United States, while America successfully broke down the Anglo-Japanese alliance; the second was the arrangement for the Far East and Pacific issues. The story of Anglo-American peaceful transition of maritime supremacy in the early 20 th century also provides historical experience and inspiration for the current implement of China’s peaceful national rise.