What was the purpose of the Washington Conference held from November 1921 to February 1922?

The Washington Conference was primarily convened to address the growing tensions in the Pacific region and to establish regulations regarding naval armaments among major naval powers, particularly the United States, Great Britain, Japan, France, and Italy. The aim was to prevent an arms race in naval power following World War I and to promote stability in the Pacific. The resulting agreements, including the Five-Power Treaty, limited the size of naval fleets and established ratios for battleships, thus serving a significant diplomatic purpose in reducing the potential for conflict among the involved nations.

The focus on naval disarmament was crucial given the strategic importance of the Pacific and the desire to maintain peace among these major powers who had considerable interests in the region. By regulating armaments, the conference aimed to counteract the rising militarism that had characterized the pre-war years and to foster cooperative relations instead.