The Allied Powers
FranceThe French first tried to appease Hitler. Then they learning of Hitler's invasion into Poland and France and Great Britain declared war against the Germans. Except France surrendered to Germany on June 22 1940. The French remained under Germany until the year 1944. It was thanks to the Ally force that France was free of Germans.
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United StatesThe United States tried to remain out of the war. The country passed Neutrality Acts as a solution. Americans still lent aid to several other countries in battle. On December 7 1941, Japan attacked the U.S. as a threat, but it had the opposite effect. It inspired the United States to fight against Japan and the Axis. When the U.S. joined, it changed the tide.
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RussiaRussia was ruled by a strict dictator and was full of communists. It was also called the Soviet Union or the USSR. Russia was at peace with Germany until they broke the non-aggressive pact that was between Germany and Russia. After Hitler broke that pact and attacked, the Russians received aid from the United States and Allies. Russia deciding to fight with the Allies to defeat the Germans.
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The Axis Powers
GermanyGermany was ruled by Hitler when the war started and he believed in ethnic purity. Most German at the time believed in all powerful state and territorial expansion. Germany first invaded Poland in 1939. Not long after in 1940 did they take France, too. In the next year, the Germans went into the USSR, making many enemies in many different countries.
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ItalyMussolini was the dictator of Italy at the time. He was in a Fascist Party and they believed in supreme power of state. Mussolini wasn't satisfied by the results from World War I. Him and Hitler agreed on many thing and became the Axis Powers. Italy and Germany have worked together since 1936.
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JapanThe Japanese military leaders pushed for territorial expansion even before the war. Japan attacked Manchuria in 1931. Then in 1937 invaded China. Japan was the next major force to work with Hitler and Germany against the Ally Power. Japan, Italy, and Germany were bound by treaties as the Axis.
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