The French Dunkerque
The Italian Roma
An item dated London, England 30th reported that the Parisian correspondent of the British newspaper Times wrote that the French cabinet hoped that Italy would decrease the tonnage of the two battleships launched on last Sunday [28th].(1) This was easily to be achieved within the first months of building. If the tonnage could be decreased to a 30.000 tons was het probably that the French cabinet accepted a 26.500 ton limit for the Dunkerque-class.(2) Otherwise would the French navy certainly asked for a budget needed for building similar large battle ships. Political reasons forced the French cabinet to prevent a naval arms race with Italy or any other countries.
Notes
1. The Littorio-class battleships finally consisted of the Littorio (renamed Italia in 1943), Vittorio Veneto, Roma and Impero (never completed) with a displacement varying between 45.028 and 45.485 tons and a main armament of 3x3-38,1cm/15” L/50 guns.
2. Dunkerque-class fast battleships consisted of the Dunkerque and Strasbourh, preceded by the never realized Lyon-class and Bretagne-class and succeeded by the Richelieu-class. Displacement 26.500 (design)-35.500 (Dunkerque)-36.280 tons (Strasbourg) and a main armament of 2x4-33cm/13” /50 Modèle guns.
