Editing Light cruiser (section)

===Between the wars===
[[File:USS Raleigh (CL-7) off the Mare Island Naval Shipyard on 6 July 1942 (19-N-30916).jpg|thumb|left|{{USS|Raleigh|CL-7|6}}, an ''Omaha''-class cruiser, in 1942. Note casemates at bow.]]
[[File:ARA General Belgrano underway.jpg|thumb|Argentine cruiser {{ship|ARA|General Belgrano}} (ex-{{USS|Phoenix|CL-46|6}})]]
The United States resumed building light cruisers in 1918, largely because the ships it then had in service had become obsolete. The first of these, the ten {{sclass|Omaha|cruiser|0}} ships, displaced 7,050 tons and were armed with twelve {{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} guns. Eight of these guns were mounted in double-story [[casemate]]s at the bow and stern, a reflection of the US prewar preference for heavy end-on fire. Fast and maneuverable, they were well-liked as seaboats despite being very wet in rough weather.<ref>Conway's, pp. 119–20.</ref>

The term light cruiser was given a new definition by the [[London Naval Treaty]] of 1930. Light cruisers were defined as cruisers having guns of 6.1-inch (155&nbsp;mm) or smaller, with [[heavy cruiser]]s defined as cruisers having guns of up to 8-inch (203&nbsp;mm). In both cases, the ships could not be greater than 10,000 tons.

[[File:USS Brooklyn (CL-40) in the Hudson River, in 1939 (80-G-1023215).jpg|thumb|{{USS|Brooklyn|CL-40|6}},  [[lead ship]] of her [[Brooklyn-class cruiser|class]]]]

After 1930, most naval powers concentrated on building light cruisers since they had already built up to the maximum limitations for heavy cruisers allowed under the Washington treaty. Japan laid down its four {{sclass|Mogami|cruiser|1}}s between 1931 and 1934.<ref>Osborne, pp. 112–13.</ref> The political climate from 1936 to 1939 gave the renewed building of light cruisers an added urgency. The British built 11 during this period, which culminated in the two {{sclass2|Town|cruiser (1936)|0}} ships, armed with 12 {{convert|6|in|mm|adj=on|0}} guns. The new ships were larger and better armored than other British treaty cruisers, with a {{convert|4.5|in|mm|adj=on|0}} belt in the Towns and were capable of 32.5 knots, but for the most part tried to stay within past treaty limitations. The US also attempted to follow treaty limitations as it completed seven of its nine {{sclass|Brooklyn|cruiser|1}}s between 1938 and September 1939. These ships were an answer to Japan's ''Mogami''s and were an indication of rising tensions in the Pacific theater. Japan, now considering itself under no restrictions, began rearming its ''Mogami''s with 10 {{convert|8|in|mm|adj=on|0}} guns.<ref>Osborne, pp. 116–17.</ref> They were thus converted into heavy cruisers.