American naval policy according to the Dutch newspaper Het Vaderland evening edition dated 6 January 1938

According to a tiding from New York was the American budget for the armament program increased and were the future expenses the largest ever in peace time. President Roosevelt also said that more budget came available if needed due to specified circumstances. For the budget year 1938/1939 was 75,000,000 dollar more available as for the budget year 1937-1938 was estimated and even 123,000,000 dollar more than what was expended in that budget year. Except for building 474 new planes for the air force and a budget for the army came a budget available for the building of 2 flag ships, 2 light cruisers, 18 destroyers and 6 submarines.

In a second news item was made clear that since the so-called Panay incident (1) within the USA the interest in a strengthening of the navy was strongly increased. Politicians pointed out that these strengthening was not a prove of aggression intentions of the USA against Japan but just a good expression of the wish that if necessary diplomatic actions could be supported with some pressure. The increase of the navy had a demonstrative importance of which the value just in the future was proved. A budget of 500,000,00 dollar was mentioned and the shipbuilding program seemed according to the major American newspapers included ships larger as the 35,000 tons battleships. According to unconfirmed rumours laid Japan 2 battleships of each 46,000 tons down. (2). The British battle cruiser HMS Hood was with her displacement of 42,100 tons the largest warships in the world but also England intended to built larger battleships. The 15 battleships within the American service were all smaller as 35,000 tons.

Notes

1. On 12 December 1937 attacked Japanese aircraft the US gunboat Panay while she was anchored in the Yangtze river outside Nanking in peace time causing the sinking of the gunboat, 3 dead and 45 wounded crewmembers and 5 wounded civilians.

2. In reality were this two battleships the Yamato and Musashi of which the building started in 1937 much and much larger!