Axis powers
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 The Allies depicted in green (those in light green entered after the Attack on Pearl Harbor), the Axis Powers in orange, and neutral countries in grey. |
The Axis Powers were those nations opposed to the Allies during the Second World War. The three major Axis Powers, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan, referred to themselves as the "Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis". At their zenith, the Axis Powers ruled empires that dominated large parts of Europe, Asia and the Pacific Ocean, but the Second World War ended with their total defeat. Like the Allies, membership of the Axis was fluid, and some nations entered and later left the Axis during the course of the war.
Origins
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The term was first used by Benito Mussolini, in November 1936, when he spoke of a Rome-Berlin axis arising out of the treaty of friendship signed between Italy and Germany on October 25, 1936. Mussolini declared that the two countries would form an "axis" around which the other states of Europe would revolve. This treaty was forged when Fascist Italy, originally opposed to Nazi Germany, was faced with opposition to its war in Abyssinia from the League of Nations and received support from Germany. Later, in May 1939, this relationship transformed into an alliance, called by Mussolini the "Pact of Steel". The Axis was extended to include the Empire of Japan as a result of the Tripartite Treaty of September 27 1940. The pact was subsequently joined by Hungary (November 20 1940), Romania (November 23 1940), Slovakia (November 24 1940) and Bulgaria (March 1 1941). The Italian name Roberto briefly acquired a new meaning from "Rome-Berlin-Tokyo" between 1940 and 1945.
- Major Axis Powers
- Nazi Germany, under Führer Adolf Hitler and during the last days of the war, President Karl Dönitz and Chancellors Joseph Göbbels and Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk.
- Fascist Italy until September 8 1943, under Prime Minister Benito Mussolini who ruled Italy in the name of King Victor Emmanuel III.
- Imperial Japan, under Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, and during the last days of the war, Prime Ministers Kuniaki Koiso and Kantaro Suzuki.
Membership of the Axis
Membership of the Axis is the subject of continuing dispute, especially among nations that joined the Axis under coercion or sometimes outright military occupation. Nations that formally adhered to the Tripartite Pact of 1940, originally between Germany, Italy and Japan, are considered Axis Powers, except for Yugoslavia which was occupied by Germany after its pro-Axis government was toppled days after signing the Treaty. Croatia, a nominally independent country created from dismembered Yugoslavia, is considered a minor Axis Power.
Thailand did not sign the Tripartite Pact but signed a military alliance with Japan in 1942 and declared war on the United States and Great Britain.
Minor Axis powers
Bulgaria
Joined the Axis in November 1940, when Adolf Hitler's Germany approached the Bulgarian lands. Tsar Boris III decided Bulgaria should join the Axis powers. Besides, the Axis were victorious at this time of the war, and Hitler promised to Bulgaria all the "San Stefano pact" lands, which included the cities of Nish, Solun, Skopje, and more. He also promised the Bulgarian people that they would finally unite with their brothers--the Macedonians. In that course of action, the war became national for the people of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian soldiers fought many battles. Bulgaria was forced to leave the Axis when the Red Army approached its northern border. On September 9 1944, the Bulgarian Communist Party BCP staged a coup, and Bulgaria became the People's Republic of Bulgaria (Bulgarian: Народна Република България) until 10th November of 1989. After joining the Allies in 1944, Bulgaria was on the winning side at the end of the war, but did not receive any new territory.
Hungary
The first and most willing of the Central European Axis allies, Hungary started its collaboration with the fascist states of the Axis in 1927 signing a treaty with Italy. Formal and informal ties with Germany throughout the 1930s led to Hungary's active participation in subduing and dismantling of the Czechoslovak state, from which it obtained a number of territories. Hungary formally signed the Tripartite Pact on November 20 1940.
Independent State of Croatia
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On April 10 1941, the extreme-right nationalist Ustaše organization proclaimed the "Independent State of Croatia" on parts of occupied Yugoslav territory. The leader of the state was Ante Pavelić. The state was largely founded on nationalist aspirations due to the mistreatment of Croats and other South Slavic people within Yugoslavia because of the Royal Yugoslav government's policy of pro-Serb bias. Fascist forces subsequently sent hundreds of thousands of Serbs, Jews, Gypsies and dissenting Croats and others to the concentration camps where most of them died.
In 1941 Ivan Mihailov's Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) welcomed Bulgaria's renewed control of Vardar Macedonia which was populated basically with ethnic Bulgarians. There was hardly any resistance in this area till 1944. In the beginning of September 1944, when the Bulgarian government left the Axis and declared war on Nazi Germany, Berlin offered Mihailov to declare Macedonia's independence with Berlin's support but he declined.
Italian Social Republic
The Italian Social Republic (Repubblica Sociale Italiana in Italian) was established in 1943 following Mussolini's dismissal and The Kingdom of Italy's new alliance with the Allies. On July 25 1943, King Victor Emmanuel III, in agreement with Fascist leaders, dismissed Benito Mussolini from office and had him arrested upon leaving the palace. Several months later, in a spectacular raid led by Otto Skorzeny, Mussolini was freed. The northern half of Italy was occupied by German forces and on September 23 1943 Mussolini proclaimed the Italian Social Republic. This state, centred at Salò, decreased in territory as the Western Allied forces advanced north and eventually came to an end in 1945, when the last German forces on Italian soil capitulated and withdrew or surrendered.
Romania
Joined the Axis on November 23 1940 after the Soviet Union had occupied half of one of its provinces (Moldova, June 28 1940) and Germany and Italy forced it to relinquish half of another (Transylvania) to Hungary on August 30 1940.
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic was an independent national Slovak state formed by the dissolution of Czechoslovakia. From the beginning, the Slovak Republic was strongly dependent on Nazi Germany. The so-called "Protection treaty" subordinated its foreign, military and economic policy to Germany (formally at least) signed on March 23 1939. This contract logically resulted in Slovakia joining the Axis Powers and fighting against Poland, the Soviet Union and even declaring war on Great Britain and the United States of America. However, except for a strip of land at the border with Germany, Slovakia was not occupied by German troops.
Thailand
Japanese forces began invading Thailand at nine points on the morning of December 8 1941. Resistance to the Japanese invaders was swift, but Field Marshal Phibunsongkhram, the prime minister, ordered the cessation of resistance. On December 21 a military alliance with Japan was signed and on January 25 1942 Thailand declared war on Britain and the United States of America. The Thai ambassador to the United States, Seni Pramoj did not deliver his copy of the declaration of war, so although the British reciprocated by declaring war on Thailand and consequently considered it a hostile country, the USA did not. The Seri Thai was established during these first few months. Thai forces conducted their biggest offensive of the war in May 1942, taking Kengtung in northern Burma from the Chinese 93rd Division.
Parallel Seri Thai organisations were established in Britain and inside Thailand. Queen Ramphaiphanee was the nominal head of the Britain-based organisation, and Pridi Phanomyong, then regent, headed its largest contingent, which was operating within the country. Aided by elements of the military, secret airfields and training camps were established while Allied agents fluidly slipped in and out of the country.
As the war dragged on, the Thai population came to resent the Japanese presence. In June 1944, Phibun was overthrown in a coup engineered by the Seri Thai. The new civilian government attempted to aid the Seri Thai while at the same time maintaining cordial relations with the Japanese.
After the war, US influence prevented Thailand from being treated as an Axis country, but Britain demanded three million tons of rice as reparations and the return of areas annexed from the British colony of Malaya during the war and invasion. Thailand also had to return the portions of British Burma, French Cambodia and French Laos that had been taken.
Yugoslavia
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.
Yugoslavia ceased to exist except as a "government-in-exile" headquartered in London, England. Germany annexed Slovenia, Italy annexed Dalmatia, Bulgaria annexed Macedonia, and Albania annexed Montenegro. Croatia was into a new state called the "Independent State of Croatia" which formally joined the Axis. Serbia was put under a puppet regime led by pro-Axis Serbian general Milan Nedić.
Co-belligerent
Finland
After being attacked by the Soviet Union in the Winter War (1939–1940), the democratic Finland was a co-belligerent of Nazi Germany during the Continuation War (1941–1944), seeking to regain its lost territory and conquer East Karelia. Some Finns tended to view (and still do) these two conflicts as separate from World War II.
In Allied usage, Finland was often referred to as an Axis country, which is often deplored as an effect of Soviet propaganda depicting the Finns as fascists in disguise. This conflicts with Finnish self-perception, which considers Finns acting only for self-preservation. It is interesting to note, however, that unlike Great Britain and France, the United States did not declare war on Finland during World War II. American perceptions of Finland were generally more favorable than the rest of the Allied powers.
The Finnish government was very careful to nurture this political separation. Finland was never a signatory to the Tripartite Treaty, and Finns refused to put Finnish forces under the joint command with Germans. Also Finnish High Command refused to implement German wishes which it considered too damaging to Finnish interests, as completing the encirclement of Leningrad or severing the railroad to Murmansk at Louhi.
The relation did more closely resemble a formal alliance during the six weeks of the Ryti-Ribbentrop Agreement, which was presented as a German condition for much needed help with munitions and air support as the Soviet offensive coordinated with D-day threatened Finland with complete occupation.
In the Lapland War (1944–1945), Finland as co-belligerent to Soviet Union pushed the German Wehrmacht out of Finnish territory to then-occupied Norway.
Soviet Union
In September 1939, according to Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, the Soviet Union as co-belligerent with Germany invaded eastern parts of Poland, and later invaded several eastern European nations. Relations with the Germans deteriorated after disagreements and mutual suspicions. On June 22, 1941, Germany invaded the Soviet Union, thus ending the pact.
Dependant on/controlled by the Axis
Albania
After being turned into a procreate by Benito Mussolini in 1939 Albania had little recourse but to agree with all foreign policy as a means to keep their domestic policy autonomous. The notorious military adventure of Ablania and Italy was far grander them most historians generally accept as Mussolini's success in Albania tricked him into believing Italy was as powerful as Nazi Germany
Italian had been taught in Albanian schools since before the Great War and a great degree of Italian forts existed to "protect" the Albanian people during the inter-war period
Austria
Austria was annexed by Germany in the Anschluss of 1938 and became part of the Greater German Empire.
Belgium
After the rough occupation Belgium had endured through the first Great War the entire nation was appalled at the notion of a second German occupation. (especially since although recieving a good chunk of reparations the Belgium delegates had little voice within the paris conference). for this reason more than politics the country dictated a policy towards the Axis, although thousands of Belgians (both Flemish and Walloon) volunteered for the Waffen SS, under Leon Degrelle, a noted Belgian fascist). After the Germans occupied Belgium in 1940, one of the two national groups - the Flemish - found themselves favoured by the Germans over the other national group, the Walloons. After the invasion of USSR, Flemish volunteers were permitted to enlist in the Waffen SS while the Walloons would initially only be accepted by the German Army.
Noted Axis units of Belgian descent:
- 6. SS Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade "Langemarck".
- 5. SS Freiwilligen Sturmbrigade "Wallonien."
- Walloon Infantry Battalion No. 373
- 28th SS Freiwilligen Panzergrenadier Division "Wallonien"
Belarusian Central Rada
In the Axis forces' occupation period, they attempted to establish a similar puppet state in Belarus with local government under the name of Belarusian Central Rada (BCR), with state symbols of the ancient Belarusian nation. (The chairman of the BCR was Radasłaŭ Astroŭski). This "nation" vanished after the Axis defeat in the Eastern Front in 1944.
Denmark
Ethiopia
Conquered by Italy since 1936, Ethiopia was strongly ruled by the Italians.
Libya
Italy had severely struck down revolts in the twenties under Mussolini. The countryof Libya would not dare to challenge fascist authority.
Luxembourg
Luxembourg was invaded on 10 May 1940 and occupied until August 1942 when it was annexed into the Greater German Empire.
Lokot Republic
During the Axis actions of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, alongside occupation plans in Reichskommissariat Ostland and Reichskommissariat Ukraine, Axis forces developed a political and administrative experiment in the so-called Lokot Republic.
This territory of one little anti-Soviet Russian pro-Axis local administration under Axis direct control, lead at first by Constantine Voskoboinik and later succeeded by Bronislaw Kaminski, himself also commander of native anti-communist forces of Russian National Liberation Army or RONA. The idea of liberation from the Bolsheviks found noticeable support in Russian-occupied areas, and this state is one example of collaboration between natives and Axis forces. Another Russian anti-communist leader with similar thinking was Andrey Vlasov and his local anti-Stalinist pro-Axis force of Russian Liberation Army (ROA).
The Republic's life came to an end in 1943, soon after the war on the Eastern Front changed course at the Battle of Stalingrad.
Manchukuo (Manchuria)
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 Japanese-puppet government of China under Wang Jingwei were the only major governments to recognize the Japanese backed state. The following states later recognized the existence of this nation: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ba Maw Burmese Nation, Thailand, the Indian government of Subhas Chandra Bose, and The Vatican. Manchuria met its dissolution in 1945 following Japan's defeat ending World War II.
In Manchukuo there were also some anti-Communist White Russians leaders known as the "Duce" Konstantin Vladimirovich Rodzaevsky and General Kislistin. They sought to persuade the Imperial Japanese Army to invade Russian Siberia, for the purpose of establishing an anti-Soviet pro-Axis Russian government in the Russian Far East.
Mengjiang
Mengjiang (Mengchiang) was a client state organized by Japan in Northern China on February 18 1936. The country's independence was merely theoretical, since principal political power remained firmly with "local" Japanese establishment. The local leader under the Japanese administration was the Mongol Prince Demchugdongrub.
The Japanese Army's ostensible purpose there was an eventual invasion of Soviet Siberia, during which it would advance the frontiers of Menchiang to Soviet Outer Mongolia. This was an attempt to exploit the Pan-Mongol nationalist spirit and the promise of a unified great Mongol nation.
Mengjiang vanished in 1945 following Japan's defeat ending World War II and the invasion of Soviet and Red Mongol Armies.
Nanjing puppet state
During the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945), a short-lived state was founded on March 29 1940 by Wang Chingwei, who became Head of State of this Japanese supported collaborationist government based in Nanjing. Its flag was similar to that of the Republic of China, whose flag is still flown in Taiwan. On September 9 1945, following the defeat of Japan in World War II, the area was surrendered to General Ho Ying-ching, a Nationalist General loyal to Chiang Kai-shek. Additionally, Japanese forces organized other minor "independent" nations or political entities in occupied lands on the Chinese mainland, from the Inner Mongolia to Guangdong.
Netherlands
Norway
At 11:15. April 4rd 1939 The Norwegian costguard ship Pol 3, noticed some ships sailing up the Oslofjord with their lanterns turned off. After failed negotiation the german battleship "Albatross" fired a few shots and sunk Pol 3. The captain of Pol 3 was the first norwegian who was K.I.A in the second world war, the rest of the crew was saved.
Oscarsborg, who was Oslo's second last defence heard about what happened with Pol 3 and prepaired for the oncomming assult. Oscarsborg is a fortified gun placement with 10x 12cm cannons, 2 torpedo bays and 4 huge 46 ton cannons, named Aron, Moses and Josval. The last of the huge cannons didnt get a name.
At 04:21. April 5th. Colonel Birger Eriksen gave the fire-at-will order and the guns Moses and Aron each fired 1 shot witch was both direct hits on the german battleship Blücher, wich was the leading ship in the german assult fleet in Oslofjorden. Oscarsbord gave the fatial blow to Blücher with some torpedos. Blücher returned fire with 20 of her guns, but didnt hit. When she sunk just a moment later the, she took with her about 1000 german soldiers to a watery grave. The rest of the assult fleet turned around and sailed full-steam south to unload the troops. Now the germans called in a full airial assult, and at 07:45 the sky was filled with german bombers with a total load of 315kg. The bombing contunued for several hours, and whiped out alot of buildings. But no lives was lost.
This was the only real battle in Norway, and Oslo was taken the day after this event. But the men on Oscarsborg gave the norwegian royal family and the government enough time to flee to England.
Larvik, Trondheim and Bergen was all taken by the german forces and was used as refuges and reloading bays for the german ships in the Atlantic sea.
Provisional Government of Free India
The Provisional Government of Free India was a shadow government led by Subhas Chandra Bose. It operated only in Japanese-controlled areas outside India. Bose was an Indian nationalist who did not believe in Gandhi's peaceful methods for achieving independence. Several key factors were vital in Bose's rise to power. The first was that even though India was a colony its army was largely autonomous. The second factor was that with Britain at war with Germany, an uprising could not be put down as easily as in years prior. The third and most important factor was the advance of the Japanese Empire through Asia. The Japanese Empire had earlier established Manchukuo (Manchuria) as independent in 1932 and later Indonesia and Vietnam independent without the approval of the latter two's European colonial masters.
Bose led several units in mutiny against the British government and had come into alliance with the invading Japanese Empire to India's east. Bose and A.M.Sahay, another local leader, received ideological support from Mitsuru Toyama, chief of the Black Dragon Society along with Japanese Army advisers. Other Indian thinkers in favour of the Axis cause were Asit Krishna Mukherji, a friend of Bose and husband of Savitri Devi Mukherji, one of the women thinkers in support of the German cause, and the Pandit Rajwade of Poona. Bose was helped by Rash Behari Bose, founder of the Indian Independence League in Japan. Bose declared India's independence on October 21 1943.
With its provisional capital at Port Blair on the Nicobar Islands, the state would last two more years until August 18 1945 when it officially became defunct. In its existence it would receive recognition from nine governments: Nazi Germany, Imperial Japan, Italy, Independent State of Croatia, the Wang Jingwei Government in Japan-occupied parts of China, Thailand, Burma (under Ba Maw), Manchukuo, and the Philippines under de facto (and later de jure) president José Laurel.
Reichskommissariats of Ostland and Ukraine
In Axis direct military administration in Reichskommissariat Ostland and Reichskommissariat Ukraine, theirs managed the political control along some native collaborators, and permit at lasts certain rights and support local culture in purpose for gaining local friendship. In Ukraine exist some local nationalists why proposed to Axis military authorities nominal independence or autonomy. Inclusive military authorities joining natives suggest and permit some military volunteers units between Axis forces in occupied territories.
At contrary, the Axis civil administration, assigned at Schleswig-Holstein Gauleiter Heinrich Lohse (for Ostland) and East Prussia Gauleiter Erich Koch (for Ukraine) were very hard, with massive exploitation of natural resources, local workers deportations, measures for Jews, etc., during yours all administrative period. Alfred Rosenberg, previously at commenced of Axis Eastern Front campaign, suggest the some administrative organization in future USSRconquest lands in next Reichskommissariats: Ostland (Baltic States),Ukraine,Kaukasus (Caucasia lands) and Moskau (Moscow and the rest of Russian European areas surrounding).
This territories extended from European frontier to Arkhangelsk-Astrakhan line. Mentioned proposes stay in line with "Lebensraumpolitik" and "Lebensraum im Osten" (the creation of more living space for Germans in the east) geopolitical strategies for future German east provinces expansion in benefits of "Aryan" generations in next centuries.
These military and civil administrative policies in territories previously mentioned and respectives geopolitical and expansionist ambitious plans if maintaining until when Axis military situation turning in Stalingrad and Kursk during 1943-1944.
Vichy France
Marshal Henri Philippe Pétain was named Chief of State of France after its surrender on June 22 1940. Under the terms of the armistice, Germany occupied approximately 2/3 of France, including the capital of Paris. Petain moved the seat of government to resort town of Vichy in the unoccupied zone.
The Vichy government maintained control of the French colonial empire and continued to be recognized as a lawful government of France by the United States until 1942. It was opposed by the Free French headquartered in London under the command of Charles de Gaulle.
Great Britain feared that the French fleet would fall into German hands and launched serveral attacks, including one attack leading to the destruction of the French Fleet at Mers-el-Kebir on July 3 1940. Vichy broke relations with Britain after the attack and considered declaring war.
Vichy signed the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1941 and sent French volunteers to fight the Soviet Union.
Vichy controlled colonies were often used as bases for Axis attacks. Japan occupied French Indochina, which became the starting point for the Japanese invasions of Thailand, Malaya and Borneo.
White Russian client state in Soviet Far East
Axis forces in North Asian lands during the Pacific War considered the organization of a client state in the Soviet Far East, similar to the Far Eastern Republic. In line with the Hakko Ichiu geopolitical doctrines (see Japanese strategic planning for mainland Asia (1905-1940)), also was considered a land invasion in Siberia, the foundation of some political entity in the Russian Far East. This would possibly have been led by White Russian chief Konstantin Vladimirovich Rodzaevsky and General Kislistin, under orders of the Axis.
The excuse for such political entity are why at Japan poses debt to establish "order" in Siberia, debt at "chaos" provoked by suppose Soviet defeating for victorious Axis Forces in European Eastern Front and prevent eventual American aid to Soviet demoralized Government, finding refugee in these territory. At the same time, this areas, served how "springboard", for next anti-Stalinist operations in nearest Siberian lands, along Outer Mongolia. Axis commanders, considered at Red Army detachment in Far East, how "easy prey" under these situation, theirs expected your total defeating in December 1941.
These plans, originally ideed during 1929-1939 Russo-Japanese Incidents, more later retaken in 1941-1942 period, during European Eastern Front fight (Operation Barbarossa), for less needed of Axis forces arriving to Volga river at finish of July 1941, time chosen for commenced operations in the area, the "Kantouken Plan" or "Othsu or B Operation". This project to definitively stopped when occurred Stalingrad Axis defeat in 1943.
British and Free French forces fought Vichy forces in Syria in 1941 and Madagascar in 1942 and American forces in late 1942. German troops occupied southern France and the Vichy colony of Tunisia in 1943 after American and British forces overwhelemed Vichy defenders.
Summary
Of the lesser Axis Powers, six would become defunct by the end of the war: Vichy France, the Independent State of Croatia, Slovakia, Manchukuo, the Italian Social Republic, and Provisional Government of Free India. Of the six, only two, Croatia in 1991 and Slovakia in 1993) would reemerge under separate democratic governments.
See also these articles: Native pro-Axis leaders, governments and Axis direct control of occupied countries; Axis plans for expansion and attacks and; Expansion operations and planning of the Axis Powers.
Secondary sources
- Gerhard L. Weinberg. A World at Arms: A Global History of World War II.(NY: Cambridge University Press, 2nd edition, 2005) is the best scholarly overview.
- I. C. B. Dear and M. R. D. Foot, eds. The Oxford Companion to World War II. (2001) is the best reference book, with encyclopedic coverage of all military, political and economic topics.
See also
- World War II
- Allies of World War II
- All Participants in World War II
- Military equipment of Axis Power forces in Balkans and Russian Front
External links
