the Axis Powers

The Axis powers, also known as "Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis", were the nations that fought in World War II against the Allies.

World War II, also known as the Second World War, was a global war that lasted from 1939 to 1945, although conflicts reflecting the ideological clash between what would become the Allied and Axis blocs began earlier.

Why did Romania join the axis? (Short Animated Documentary) by History Matters

The Axis powers agreed on their opposition to the Allies, but did not completely coordinate their activity.

Alternate History: Poland Joins The Axis Powers by Monsieur Z

The Axis grew out of the diplomatic efforts of Germany, Italy and Japan to secure their own specific expansionist interests in the mid-1930s.

The first step was the treaty signed by Germany and Italy in October 1936.

Benito Mussolini declared on 1 November that all other European countries would from then on rotate on the Rome–Berlin axis, thus creating the term "Axis".

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Italy from the fascists' takeover of state power in 1922 until 1943, and Duce from 1919 to his execution in 1945 during the Italian civil war.

Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician and journalist who was the leader of the National Fascist Party.

Europe is a continent that comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia.

The almost simultaneous second step was the signing in November 1936 of the Anti-Comintern Pact, an anti-communist treaty between Germany and Japan.

The Communist International, known also as the Third International, was an international organization that advocated world communism.

Editor note: In this article, all names are displayed with given names preceding family names.

Italy joined the Pact in 1937.

The "Rome–Berlin Axis" became a military alliance in 1939 under the so-called "Pact of Steel", with the Tripartite Pact of 1940 leading to the integration of the military aims of Germany, Italy and Japan.

The Tripartite Pact, also known as the Berlin Pact, was an agreement between Germany, Italy and Japan signed in Berlin on 27 September 1940 by, respectively, Joachim von Ribbentrop, Galeazzo Ciano and Saburō Kurusu.

The Pact of Steel, known formally as the Pact of Friendship and Alliance between Germany and Italy, was a military and political alliance between Italy and Germany.

At its zenith during World War II, the Axis presided over territories that occupied large parts of Europe, North Africa, and East Asia.

East Asia is the eastern subregion of the Asian continent, which can be defined in either geographical or ethno-cultural terms.

North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of Africa.

There were no three-way summit meetings and cooperation and coordination was minimal, with slightly more between Germany and Italy.

The war ended in 1945 with the defeat of the Axis powers and the dissolution of their alliance.

As in the case of the Allies, membership of the Axis was fluid, with some nations switching sides or changing their degree of military involvement over the course of the war.