Despite the fact that both vessels remained within the displacement limits, when construction of "Richelieu" began in October, France had violated the Washington Treaty. The treaty had included a moratorium on new battleship construction that was extended by the London Naval Treaty of 1930 (which France had signed but not ratified), though France and Italy had secured an exception to allow them to build up to of new battleships as their fleets were older than those of the other signatories. Combined with the two "Dunkerque"s, "Richelieu" brought the total French construction program to , and when "Jean Bart" was laid down in December 1936, the total rose to . Britain objected to the construction program, but France dismissed them by pointing out that Britain had unilaterally signed the Anglo-German Naval Agreement earlier in 1935, effectively abrogating the disarmament clauses of the Treaty of Versailles that had severely constrained the size and effectiveness of the German fleet. From the French perspective, if Britain would cavalierly strengthen France's enemy, the French would similarly disregard their own treaty obligations in favor of self defense.