1921 Imperial Conference

The 1921 Imperial Conference met in London from 20 June to 5 August 1921. It was chaired by British prime minister David Lloyd George.

1921 Imperial Conference
Host country	United Kingdom
Dates	20 June 1921– 5 August 1921
Cities	London
Heads of Government	6
Chair	David Lloyd George (Prime Minister)
Follows	Imperial War Conferences (1917–1918)
Precedes	1923 Imperial Conference
Key points
Anglo-Japanese Alliance

The Prime Ministers of the United Kingdom and the Dominions met at the 1921 Imperial Conference to determine a unified international policy, particularly the relationship with the United States and Japan.[1] The most urgent issue was that of whether or not to renew the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, which was due to expire on 13 July 1921.[2] On one side were the Prime Minister of Australia, Billy Hughes, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Bill Massey, who strongly favoured its renewal.[3] Neither wanted their countries to be caught up in a war between the United States and Japan, and contrasted the generous assistance that Japan rendered during the First World War with the United States' disengagement from international affairs in its aftermath.[4] "The British Empire", declared Hughes, "must have a reliable friend in the Pacific".[5] They were opposed by the Prime Minister of Canada, Arthur Meighen, on the grounds that the alliance would adversely affect the relationship with the United States, which Canada depended upon for its security.[6] As a result, no decision to renew was reached, and the alliance was allowed to expire.[7]

This was the first Imperial Conference to which the colony of India was invited, though it was still a colony and not a dominion. However, it was primarily represented by the British cabinet minister responsible for the subcontinent.

Participants

The conference was hosted by King-Emperor George V, with his Prime Ministers and members of their respective cabinets:[8]

Nation	Name	Portfolio
United Kingdom	David Lloyd George	Prime Minister (Chairman)
	Austen Chamberlain	Lord Privy Seal
	Arthur Balfour	Lord President of the Council
	George Curzon	Foreign Secretary
	Winston Churchill	Secretary of State for the Colonies
Australia	William Hughes	Prime Minister
Canada	Arthur Meighen	Prime Minister
	Charles Ballantyne	Minister of Naval Service
India	Edwin Samuel Montagu	Secretary of State for India
	Khengarji III	Maharao of Cutch
	V. S. Srinivasa Sastri	Member of the Council of State of India
New Zealand	William Massey	Prime Minister
South Africa	Jan Smuts	Prime Minister
	Sir Thomas Smartt	Minister of Agriculture
	Hendrik Mentz	Minister of Defence

See also

• Imperial Conference

References

Sources

• "Conference of Prime Ministers and Representatives of the United Kingdom, the Dominions, and India (Summary of Proceedings and Documents of the), Held in June, July, and August, 1921, at London". Journals of the House of Representatives. New Zealand. Session II Appendix, A-04. 1921.

Citations

1. Tate & Foy 1959, p. 539
2. Brebner 1935, p. 48
3. Brebner 1935, p. 54
4. Tate & Foy 1959, pp. 535–538
5. Tate & Foy 1959, p. 543
6. Brebner 1935, pp. 48–50
7. Brebner 1935, p. 56
8. Minutes of the 1921 Imperial Conference

Bibliography

• Brebner, J. Bartlet (March 1935). "Canada, The Anglo-Japanese Alliance and the Washington Conference". Political Science Quarterly. The Academy of Political Science. 50 (1): 45–58. doi:10.2307/2143412. ISSN 0032-3195. JSTOR 2143412.
• Tate, Merze; Foy, Fidele (December 1959). "More Light on the Abrogation of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance". Political Science Quarterly. The Academy of Political Science. 74 (4): 532–554. doi:10.2307/2146422. ISSN 0032-3195. JSTOR 2146422.