ABSTRACT
By the mid-1920s, the fledgling nations of the eastern Baltic had begun to recover economically from the Great War. Along with this came not only stability, but also the development of the private and public institutions necessary for the creation and maintenance of naval forces. Elements within each of the states lobbied for and against naval growth and funding debates raged in many of the respective parliaments. The subsequent quest for suppliers provided fertile ground for often-intense competition. The governments of Britain and France quickly became involved in the economic struggle, often on an intimate level, and many foreign businessmen, and sometimes government officials, proved willing to go to extremes to win the region’s contracts. Salesmen and officials generally labored under the assumption that an initial success would mean longterm rewards. They were too optimistic.
