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Defence policy 1933-1939

A biplane takes off from an aircraft carrier in the 1930s.

A biplane takes off from an aircraft carrier in the 1930s.
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The rise of potential aggressors in the early- to mid-1930s caused the government to reassess its policy of disarmament and defence spending. A rearmament programme was put in place to prepare the armed forces for war in the Far East or Europe.

Related documents

End of disarmament

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Naval Construction for 1933. 15 February 1933 (PDF, 3.285MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Imperial Defence Policy. 23 March 1932 (PDF, 6.051MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Imperial Defence Policy. 23 March 1932 (PDF, 6.051MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Imperial Defence Policy. 15 November 1933 (PDF, 6.221MB)

Defence requirements committee

Cabinet Conclusion 5. Imperial Defence Policy. 15 November 1933 (PDF, 6.221MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Imperial Defence Policy. 7 March 1934 (PDF, 4.225MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. Imperial Defence Policy. 2 May 1934 (PDF, 3.617MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. German re-armament. 26 November 1934 (PDF, 2.181MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Imperial Defence Policy. 31 July 1934 (PDF, 4.962MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 7. Defence Requirements. 9 October 1935 (PDF, 3.586MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Co-ordination of Defence. 12 February 1936 (PDF, 5.759MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Defence requirements: Programmes of the Defence Services. 25 February 1936 (PDF, 2.089MB)

Constraints on rearmament

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Imperial Defence Policy. 19 March 1934 (PDF, 3.782MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. German Re-armament. 21 November 1934 (PDF, 4.049MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 7. Service Requirements in the event of a possible aggression by Italy. 11 December 1935 (PDF, 5.899MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. The Naval Conference 1935. 19 June 1935 (PDF, 3.572MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Germany and the Locarno Treaty. 9 March 1936 (PDF, 4.267MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Germany. 11 March 1936 (PDF, 2.688MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Foreign Affairs Debate. 1 May 1935 (PDF, 2.486MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. The Financial Situation. 3 July 1939 (PDF, 1.995 MB)

Cabinet Memorandum. Note on the Financial Situation. 3 July 1939 (PDF, 1.375 MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. Detailed comments on CP 297 (36). 4 November 1936 (PDF, 3.485MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 12. Defence requirements: the labour issues involved. 6 May 1936 (PDF, 5.560MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 2. The Defence Programme. 4 November 1936 (PDF, 3.485MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 7. Service Requirements in the event of a possible aggression by Italy. 11 December 1935 (PDF, 5.899MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 14. Aircraft Shadow Firms. 27 May 1936 (PDF, 5.677MB)

Naval plans

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Defence requirements: Programmes of the Defence Services. 25 February 1936 (PDF, 2.089MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. New Construction Programme 1937. 17 February 1937 (PDF, 6.503MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Defence expenditure in future years. 22 December 1937 (PDF, 6.926MB)

Aerial plans

Cabinet Conclusion 2. German re-armament. 26 November 1934 (PDF, 2.181MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Foreign Affairs Debate. 1 May 1935 (PDF, 2.486MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. Germany. Defence Requirements. 4 December 1935 (PDF, 5.578MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. The Royal Air Force. 27 January 1937 (PDF, 7.420MB)

Army plans

Cabinet Conclusion 1. Defence requirements: Programmes of the Defence Services. 25 February 1936 (PDF, 2.089MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 6. The role of the British Army. 16 December 1936 (PDF, 4.730MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. The Army. 28 April 1937 (PDF, 5.825MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 4. The Army. 5 May 1937 (PDF, 5.378MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 6. The role of the British Army. 16 December 1936 (PDF, 4.730MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 3. The Army. 2 February 1939 (PDF, 4.778MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 6. The Army. 22 February 1939 (PDF, 8.334MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 5. National Service and Defence. 29 March 1939 (PDF, 7.788MB)

Cabinet Conclusion 12. Responsibility for National Service. 2 August 1939 (PDF, 9.184MB)

Search using Defence policy Defence Requirements sub-Committee (DRC) Rearmament

Further reading

Gibbs, N.H., Grand strategy, Vol. 1: Rearmament policy (1976)
Gordon, G.A.H., British seapower and procurement between the wars: a reappraisal of rearmament (Basingstoke: Naval Institute Press, 1988)
Roskill, S.W., Naval policy between the wars, Vol. 2, The period of reluctant rearmament 1930-1939 (Walker, 1976)

Content

Defence policy 1933-1939
End of disarmament and defence requirements
Rearmament plans

Related Links

Map link

Interwar air defence

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