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Axis Powers

The Axis Powers is a term for the alliance of Germany, Italy, Japan, and the other countries allied to them during World War II. The three major Axis powers referred to themselves as the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis. The Axis powers were opposed by the Allies.

Italy, facing opposition to its war in Abysinnia from the League of Nations, forged an alliance with Germany, which had withdrawn from the League in 1933. The term was first used by Benito Mussolini, in November 1936, when he spoke of a Rome-Berlin axis in reference to the treaty of friendship signed between Italy and Germany on October 25, 1936. The two countries would form an "axis" around which the other states of Europe could revolve. Later, in May 1939, this relationship transformed into an alliance, dubbed the "Pact of Steel".

The Axis was extended to include Japan as a result of the Tripartite Treaty of September 27, 1940. The alliance was subsequently joined by Hungary (November 20, 1940), Romania (November 23, 1940), Slovakia's puppet government (November 24, 1940) and Bulgaria (March 1, 1941).

Yugoslavia joined on March 25, 1941, but a British-supported coup d'état two days later put Yugoslavia's participation in question (although King Peter II of Yugoslavia actually declared his adherence to the treaty), leading to a German occupation of Yugoslavia in April. On April 10, 1941, the Independent State of Croatia was proclaimed on parts of Yugoslav territory, ruled by the Ustaše; with the leader of the state being Ante Pavelić. Other parts of Yugoslavia were either annexed, governed directly by the coalition forces, or by other locals (e.g. general Milan Nedić).

Japanese forces began occupying Siam on December 8, 1941; Siam was forced to sign official declarations of war against the United States and the British Empire on January 25, 1942.

Following the successful invasion of France by German forces and the capture of Paris, France surrendered to Germany on 24 June 1940. Germany divided France into occupied and non-occupied zones with the latter under the leadership of the Vichy government, which was the official government of France led by prime minister Henri Philippe Pétain. The occupation resulted in a devided Franch state splintered into Vichy France and France. Charles de Gaulle directed forces called the Free French Forces in exile.

Manchukuo, meaning Manchuria, was a puppet state set up by Japan on February 18, 1932. The country's independence was not recognized by the League of Nations causing Japan to withdraw from the League. Italy, Germany and the Chinese Nationalist Government under Wang Jingwei were the only major nations to recognize the Japanese backed state. Manchuria met its dissolution in 1945 following Japan's defeat ending World War II.

In Allied usage, Finland was often referred to as an Axis country, but it was never a signatory. Finland characterized its relationship with Germany during the Continuation War as co-belligerence. Another actuarate discreption of this the relationship would be to depict it simply as a "brief warfare collaboration".

Three of the twelve Axis member countries are now defunct or inactive.

Vichy France was established in 1940, by the surrender agreement made with Nazi Germany. Vichy France's demise occured in August 1944 following the Normandy Invasion by the allies. Before that, from 1942 until 1944, Germany occupied Vichy territory.

Establishment: June 22, 1940. Dissolution: August 20, 1944.

Manchuria was declared independent by Japan in the '30s and turned into an unofficial member of the Axis Powers by Japan. Following the Atomic bombs droped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, very important cities in Japan, the Japanese Empire was forced to formally surender to the Allies and except American occupation on September 2 1945. Because of this Manchuria was left without protection allowing Soviet forces to invade and annex the nation. It would serve as a base for communist forces from 1945 until 1948.

Establishment: March 9 1932. Dissolution: August 9 1945.

The Independent State of Croatia was apart of the first Yugoslavia known simply as Croatia. Serbian hostilities against all non-Serb South Slaves withen Yugoslavia pushed Croats toward seperation but force still kept them in the union. Nazi Germany on Hitlers orders invaded Yugoslavia and backing fascist sepertist leading to Croatia's "independence" from Yugoslavia and Serbian domination. Ante Pavelić led the pro-Nazi puppet regime and enacted racial laws, formed eight concentration camps and started a campaign to exterminate Serbs, Jews and Gypsies. The anti-fascist movement emerged early in 1941, under the command of the Communist party, led by Josip Broz Tito. The events that led to Croatia's seperation would mark a milestone in their long struggle for seperation from Serbian hostilles. Partisan resistance movements were able to fully expell Nazi forces and collaborators with assistance from the Ref Army. This move would prove to be a huge miscalulation and mistake, causing Croats to suffer for fifty more years under authoritarion, Communist, and a pro-Serbian corrupted goverment untill the 1990s. In the early '90s the Croatia state of the 1940s was brought back into public memory as an important event commending the Nazi supporting faction for freeing Croats by any means necessary.

Establishment: April 10, 1941. Dissolution: May 6, 1945.

The Italian name Roberto briefly acquired a new meaning from "Roma-Berlin-Tokio" during this time.

See also