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Table of Contents
The Axis Powers, a coalition led by Germany, Italy, and Japan, opposed the Allied powers in World War II. The alliance began with a series of agreements between Germany and Italy, followed by the declaration of an “axis” connecting Rome and Berlin (October 25, 1936), with the two powers asserting that the world would subsequently revolve around the Rome-Berlin axis. The German-Japanese Anti-Comintern Pact, in competition with the Soviet Union, came next (November 25, 1936).
See the fact file below for more information on the Axis Powers, or you can download our 25-page Axis Powers worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
BACKGROUND
- The three nations’ aggressive expansionism throughout the 1930s planted the seeds for another world war.
- Ethiopia was invaded by fascist Italy on October 3, 1935. On July 7, 1937, Imperial Japan, which had occupied Manchuria (Northeast China) since 1931, fought Chinese soldiers close to Beijing, escalating the conflict.
- In 1936, Nazi Germany invaded the Rhineland; two years later, it seized Austria and the Sudetenland.
- Adolf Hitler, the ruler of Germany, started to focus on the Soviet Union and bragged on September 13, 1936, of the slavish allegiance he would use to compel the German people into a war against Bolshevism.
- Hitler’s tirades against Bolshevism were launched not only to support German intervention in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) on the side of the fascist-oriented Falange but also to lay the groundwork for a coalition with Japan, where nationalism and militarism had been on the rise since Japan’s occupation of Manchuria.
- The Anti-Comintern Pact was signed on November 25, 1936, by Japan’s ambassador to Berlin, Count Mushakoji, and Germany’s foreign minister, Joachim von Ribbentrop. It stated that since the Comintern, or Third International, based in Moscow, existed “to disintegrate and subdue existing states,” Germany and Japan agreed to “Consult with one another on the appropriate preventative measures and to implement these in close cooperation.”
- Germany did not impose any sanctions on Italy during the Italo-Ethiopian War (1935–1936) because Hitler, who was adamant about annexing Austria, was waiting for Italy’s war to end before making his next move on the global chessboard.
- Then, in May 1936, German ambassador Franz von Papen began talks with Austrian chancellor Kurt von Schuschnigg for a modus vivendi following a fierce campaign in the Nazi press against Schuschnigg.
- Germany and Austria presented a draft agreement to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, who approved it on June 5, 1936.
- Following Mussolini’s son-in-law and foreign minister Galeazzo Ciano’s meeting with Hitler in Berchtesgaden on October 24, 1936. Germany was the first country to acknowledge Italy’s annexation of Ethiopia.
- The German Reich officially recognized Austria’s full sovereignty in a communique that was published in Berlin and Vienna on July 1, 1936
- Austria also committed to the policy toward the German Reich as “a German state.” Mussolini finalized the deal in Milan on November 1, 1936, by announcing the Rome-Berlin Axis and ruthlessly combating communism.
- Mussolini was given a magnificent reception during his state visit to Germany in the last week of September 1937.
- He officially signed the German-Japanese Anti-Comintern Pact on November 6 of that year because he believed the Nazi Reich would win a future conflict.
- On December 11 of the same year, he officially withdrew Italy from the League of Nations. Now a triangle was created by Japan, Italy, and Germany.
THE TRIPARTITE PACT
- The Tripartite Pact, signed by all three powers on September 27, 1940, one year after Germany conquered Poland and the start of World War II, and the military and political alliance between Germany and Italy (the Pact of Steel, May 22, 1939) strengthened the ties between the Axis powers.
- During the war, several other countries joined the Axis, induced by coercion or promises of territory or protection by the Axis powers.
- They included Croatia during the disintegration of Yugoslavia during World War II, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia (after Czechoslovakia had split in 1939) in November 1940, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia in March 1941, and (June 1941).
- Because of its resistance to the Soviet Union (to whom Finland had been compelled to give territory in 1940), Finland joined the war in 1941 even though it had not legally ratified the Tripartite Pact.
- The Tripartite Pact was an agreement reached on September 27, 1940, one year after World War II began, by Germany, Italy, and Japan.
- Should any signatories come under assault by a country not currently at war, the Pact provides for mutual support. This formalization of the alliance was intended to make “neutral” America second-guess its decision to enter the military conflict on the side of the Allies.
- Later signatories of the pact included Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, and Croatia.
- The pact also acknowledged two spheres of influence. Japan was given dominance over “Greater East Asia” while “the leadership of Germany and Italy in the development of a new order in Europe” was acknowledged.”
THE PACT OF STEEL
- Germany and Italy’s alliance are under the “Pact of Steel.” The Rome-Berlin Axis Agreement was established by Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini on May 22, 1939, uniting the two nations militarily and diplomatically.
- The agreement was initially a trilateral military alliance between Germany, Italy, and Japan. Italy and Germany preferred that the pact’s emphasis be placed on the British Empire and France, while Japan preferred that it be directed toward the Soviet Union.
- Foreign ministers Galeazzo Ciano of Italy and Joachim von Ribbentrop of Germany signed the pact on May 22, 1939, but Japan was absent due to this dispute, making it an accord that solely applied to Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.
- There were two elements to the agreement. The first portion was an outright proclamation of Italy and Germany’s ongoing mutual respect and cooperation. The “Secret Supplementary Protocol,” the second portion, promoted combining economic and military agendas.
END OF THE AXIS POWERS
- The Allies won the Second World War, which primarily included the United States, the Soviet Union, and Great Britain. The Allies also destroyed the Axis. Six weeks after the Fascist Party overthrew Benito Mussolini, Italy was the first to give up. Romania also switched allegiances following a coup. On September 8, 1944, the communist Fatherland Front overthrew Bulgaria’s government, forcing it to submit.
- Tito’s Partisans, a Yugoslav army that expelled the Ustasa, who ruled the Independent State of Croatia, freed the majority of Croatia.
- Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allies on May 7, 1945, seven days after Hitler committed himself. Japan was the final member of the Axis powers to submit, and it did so on September 2, 1945.
The Axis Powers Worksheets
This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Axis Powers across 25 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the Axis Powers, a coalition led by Germany, Italy, and Japan that opposed the Allied powers in World War II.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Axis Powers Facts
- Raise the Flag
- What You Learned
- Axis Leaders
- Axis Powers
- Deep Search
- Pictures Worth a Thousand Words
- Watch and Compare
- World Peace
- Infographic
- On Cam
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Axis Powers during World War II?
The Axis Powers were a military alliance of countries that included Germany, Japan, and Italy, which fought against the Allied Powers during World War II.
When and why were the Axis Powers formed?
The Axis Powers were formed in 1940, as a result of agreements between Germany, Japan, and Italy, which sought to create a world order based on their fascist ideologies and territorial expansionist goals.
What were the key military campaigns of the Axis Powers during World War II?
The Axis Powers launched several military campaigns during World War II, including the invasion of Poland, the Battle of Stalingrad, the bombing of Pearl Harbor, and the North African campaign.
What were the consequences of the Axis Powers’ defeat in World War II?
The defeat of the Axis Powers led to the end of World War II and the collapse of fascist regimes in Germany, Italy, and Japan. The war also led to the establishment of the United Nations and the rebuilding of Europe and Japan.
Are there any remnants of the Axis Powers today?
No, the Axis Powers were dissolved after their defeat in World War II, and their governments were replaced by democratic institutions. However, there are still neo-fascist and far-right groups in some countries that advocate for similar ideologies and principles.
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Use With Any Curriculum
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