*** World War II -- alliance systems








World War II: Alliance Systems

World War II alliances
Figure 1.-- Children of Japan, Germany, and Italy meet in Tokyo to celebrate the signing of the Tripartite Alliance between the three nations, on December 17, 1940. Japanese education minister Kunihiko Hashida, center, holding crossed flags, and Mayor Tomejiro Okubo of Tokyo were among the sponsors. Japanese schools played an important role in preparinbg the country for war.

World War II histories generally describe two alliance systems: the Allies and the Axis. In actuality it was much more complicated than that. The composition of the Allies changed over time and the Allied alliance that emerged victorious was very different at the end of the war than the beginning of the War. In addition the Soviets fought on both sides, first as a Axis (German) ally and than as a cobeligerant with the Allies. The Axis and Allies were very different. Although the Axis alliance was a formalized treaty relationship, there was virtually no coordination and cooperation between the main players. And their ultimate goals varied significantly. In fact, the NAZIs wound up invading most of their Axis allies. The Allies began as a formal treaty relationship between Britain and France, primarily as a continuation of the World War I Entente. Unlike the Axis, there was considerable cooperation and coordination, although it ended in disaster with the fall of France. The Allies than morphed with the the core becoming the Anglo-American alliance. Here there was no formal treaty relationship, but the Anglo-American alliance became the closest and most formidable military alliance in all of history. While we say Anglo-American Alliance, this is shorthand for the Anglo-American-Dominion Alliance. The Dominions (Australia, Canada, New Zealand along with India) played a critical role in the Allied war effort. Not only did the Allies cooperate and coordinate, but there was also a shared set of values as expressed in the Atlantic Charter. The contrast with the Axis could not be more stark. The Soviets changed sides over time. They began the War by signing the NAZI-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact as a NAZI ally. They then attempted to join the Axis. Then after the NAZI invasion they became co-belligerents with the Allies. While they fought on both sides, in terms of ideology and values, the Soviets had much more in common with the NAZIS than the Western Allies. Both were brutal totalitarian societies. They only joined forces with the Allies after the NAZI invasion.

The Axis

The Tripartite Pact was signed September 27, 1940. The agreement allied Germany and Italy (which were at war with Britain) and Japan (which was at war with China). Germany and Italy has since 1939-40 been at war with Britain. Japan since 1937 had been at war with China. The alliance did not require the partners to join these wars, but it did require them to come to each other's aid if attacked. The alliance became known as the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo Axis alliance, or commonly the Axis. The three Axis partners German hegemony over most of Europe; Italian hegemony in the Mediterranean, and Japanese hegemony in East Asia. After the Axis agreement was signed, several German allies joined the Axis, notably Vichy France and Fascist Spain refused to do so. Japan had no Asian allies, except or the puppet state of Manchukuo.

The Allies

The Allies began as a formal treaty relationship, primarily as a continuation of the World War I Entente between Britain and France. Unlike the Axis, there was considerable cooperation and coordination. The French complained with some validity that the British were not doing enough to prepare for the German Western offensive. The alliance ended disastrously disaster with the fall of France and bitter recriminations. The Allies than morphed with the the core becoming the Anglo-American Alliance. The British were never all in with the French. The relationship with the Americans was very different. Of course the circumstances were different. After the fall of France, Britain's very national existence was at stake. With the Americans there was no formal treaty relationship, but the Anglo-American alliance became the closest and most formidable military alliance in all of history. While we say Anglo-American Alliance, this is shorthand for the Anglo-American-Dominion Alliance. The Dominions (Australia, Canada, New Zealand along with India) played a critical role in the Allied war effort. Not only did the Allies cooperate and coordinate, but there was also a shared set of values as expressed in the Atlantic Charter. The contrast with the Axis could not be more stark. Eventually quite a number of countries joined the anti-NAZI alliance, but many were occupied countries. Most were democracies.

Soviet Alliances

The Soviets changed sides over time. They began the War by signing the NAZI-Soviet Molotiv Ribentrop Pact as a NAZI ally (August 1939). Britain and France at the time were trying to negotiate an alliance with the Soviets. Stalin chose Hitler and the NAZIs. So we know who he wanted to be allied with. Stalin has never explained his motivation. He clearly at the time did not want a war with the NAZIs a war which like Poland, he would have to fight without significant aid from Britain and France cowering behind the Maginot Line. But Hitler also offered inducements, the ability to invade and seize a huge swath of Eastern Europe from Finland south to Romania. Both were brutal totalitarian societies. Contrary to subsequent Soviet histories, the Soviet and NAZI states were almost mirror images of deadly totalitarian oppression. And for the Soviets after decades of Marxist indoctrination, it was the capitalist West that was the real enemy. The Soviets attempted to join the Axis. The Japanese promoted the idea, but Hitler vetoed it, although he delayed answering the Soviet request. Only after the NAZI Barbarossa invasion (June 1941), did the Soviets became co-belligerents with the Allies. While they fought on both sides, in terms of ideology and values, the Soviets had much more in common with the NAZIS than the Western democracies. And this was not only ideology, the Soviets committed terrible atrocities in the many countries they invaded and occupied. These were the same kind of brutal atrocities more associated with the NAZIs. This was especially the case (1939-41). The only major difference was in the treatment of Jews. Stalin did not like Jews, but he did not have the genocidal mania Hitler exhibited or any intention to build death camps to kill people on an industrial basis. There were also Soviet atrocities during the dive west (1943-45) and post-War era, but not on the same level as earlier. They only joined forces with the Allies after the NAZI invasion. Unlike the NAZI-Soviet Pact, the Soviets never signed a formal alliance with the Allies.

Deciding Factors

Adolf Hitler after the fall of France was the master of Europe. He controlled or dominated Europe from Poland to the Pyranees. No other modern conqueror other than Napoleon had amassed such an empire. This placed enormous industrial potential and resources at the command of NAZI Germany. The German military had modern weaponry and a tactical dictrine that no other country at the time could match. Combined with Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan the Axis Alliance had in 1940 overwealming military power at a time Britain was perilously bracing for air and U-boat assaults. The American army at the time was almost non-existent and armaments production was less than that of Germany. In the Pacific the Imperial Navy's 13 aircraft carriers and modern aircraft with throughly trined pilots gave the Japanes a military advantage that was not yet understood. Yes the Axis was totally defeated and by 1945 their cities reduced to rubble. The question rises as to why the Axis lost the War and lost it so totally.





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Created: 8:13 AM 12/21/2020
Last updated: 6:01 AM 12/29/2020
Last updated: 9:11 AM 2/28/2021