Naval Act of 1938


The Naval Act of 1938, known as the Second Vinson Act, was United States legislation enacted on May 17, 1938, that "mandated a 20% increase in strength of the United States Navy". It represented the United States' response to the Japanese invasion of China and the German annexation of Austria.
The act was sponsored by Carl Vinson, a Democratic Congressman from Georgia who was Chairman of the House Naval Affairs Committee. It updated the provisions of the Vinson-Trammell Act of 1934 and the Naval Act of 1936, which had "authorized the construction of the first American battleships in 17 years", based on the provisions of the London Naval Treaty of 1930. The 1938 Act specifically authorised the construction of 105,000 tons of battleships, 40,000 tons of aircraft carriers, 68,754 tons of cruisers, 38,000 tons of destroyers and 13,658 tons of submarines, together with various smaller vessels. It was followed by the Two-Ocean Navy Act of 1940.

Extract of 17 May 1938 Act

"...In addition to the tonnages of the United States Navy as agreed upon and established by the treaties signed at Washington,… and at London,… the authorized composition of the United States Navy in under-age vessels is hereby increased by the following tonnages;