We explain who were the allies of World War II who faced the axis powers.
Who were the allies in World War II?
The allies were the side that faced the powers of the axis during World War II (1939-1945). They were Headed by the United Kingdom, France (until it was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1940), China and, since 1941, the Soviet Union and the United States.
Other countries and governments in exile were also part of the allied side, especially the signatories of the United Nations Declaration of January 1, 1942.
Yes ok World War II was initiated by an aggression of axis powers (Headed by Nazi Germany, fascist Italy and the Empire of Japan), The final result was favorable to allies.
Germany signed the unconditional surrender on May 7, 1945 and Japan did so on September 2, 1945. The allies also founded the UN (United Nations Organization), which entered into force in October 1945.
The countries that integrated the side of the allies were:
- The United Kingdom
- China
- France (until it was occupied by Nazi Germany in 1940)
- The Soviet Union (since 1941)
- United States (since 1941)
- Other 42 signing countries of the United Nations Declaration
Frequent questions
What countries were part of the allies in World War II?
The countries that led the side of the allies during World War II were the United Kingdom, France (until it was invaded by Germany in 1940), China (which was at war with Japan since 1937), the Soviet Union (from the German invasion of June 1941) and the United States (from the Japanese attack of December 1941). The signatory countries of the United Nations Declaration of 1942 also aligned with the allies, which together with the four Allied powers came to add forty -seven countries.
Who were the leaders of the allies?
The main political leaders of the allied powers, called the great three, were Iosif Stalin (leader of the USSR), Franklin D. Roosevelt (president of the United States) and Winston Churchill (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom). Chiang Kai-Shek (Prime Minister of the Republic of China) and General Charles de Gaulle (leader of the Free France movement) also stood out.
What was the objective of the allies?
The objective of the allies was to stop the expansionism of Nazi Germany, the fascist Italy and the empire of Japan. The coalition began as an agreement between France, the United Kingdom and Poland for which the two Western powers promised to intervene in favor of Poland in case of German attack. When Nazi Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, the United Kingdom and France declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union and the United States entered the Allied side in 1941 to deal with the aggression of the axis powers and subsequently set the objective of achieving the unconditional surrender of Germany and Japan.
See also: World War II alliances
The historical context
World War II broke out in September 1939 with the German invasion of Poland. France and the United Kingdom had signed an agreement with Poland for which they promised to attend the Polish government in case of German attack. Poland's invasion occurred on September 1 and The two allied powers declared war on Nazi Germany on September 3, 1939.
The Wehrmacht (German armed forces) continued its expansion and invaded Denmark and Norway. He then headed west and managed to occupy France in June 1940. Vichy's France, which was established in the south of the territory, signed the armistice. Only the movement of free France, directed by General Charles de Gaulle in exile, maintained the state of war with the French resistance.
The Soviet Union (USSR)which had signed the Pact of German-Soviet aggression in August 1939, He was forced to enter the coalition of the allies When Nazi Germany invaded its territory in June 1941 (Operation Barbarroja). The United States, who had already provided help to the allies by sending supplies, entered the war after the Japanese attack on the Naval Base of Pearl Harbor in December 1941.
Since then, the leaders of the three main allied powers (the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union) were known as the great three. Together with the Chinese leader, who since 1937 fought against Japan in Oriental Asia, formed the great four.
See also: Chronology of World War II
The member countries of the allies side
The main powers that formed the side of the allies were the United Kingdom, France (with the exception of the German occupation period between 1940 and 1944), the Soviet Union (from the German aggression of June 1941), United States (from the Japanese aggression of December 1941) and China, which already fought against Japan since 1937, before the explosion of the Second World War.
In a broader way All signers of the United Nations Declaration is called allies on January 1, 1942. Together were twenty -six countries:
- The great powers: The United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States and China.
- Some European countries occupied by the axis: Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland and Greece.
- Domains and colonies of the British Empire: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India.
- Latin American countries traditionally under the influence of the United States: Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama.
Other signatories were subsequently added to these countries: Mexico, Philippines, Ethiopia, Iraq, Brazil, Bolivia, Iran, Colombia, Liberia, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, Uruguay, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon.
Free France (the French government in exile) was part of the allied side but France just signed the United Nations Declaration when the country was released in 1944. The Denmark government during the German occupation also was part of the allies but never signed the statement.
The forty -seven allied countries that adhered to the United Nations Declaration were part of the group of countries that signed the United Nations Charter on June 26, 1945, a document that gave rise to the UN (United Nations Organization).
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References
- Beevor, A. (2012). World War II. Past and present.
- Hughes, Ta & Royde-Smith, JG (2022). World War II. Britannica Encyclopedia. https://www.britannica.com/
- Stone, N. (2013). Brief history of World War II. Ariel.
- VOLLE, A. (2023). Allied Powers. Britannica Encyclopedia. https://www.britannica.com/
