Allies of World War II

grouping of the victorious countries of World War II

The Allies,(formally referred to as the United Nations) were a group of nations that fought against the Axis countries in World War II. They were successful in defeating the Axis nations. The war ended in 1945. The group of nations was later named the United Nations by U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt. The main great powers, sometimes called "The Big Three", were the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Sometimes China was added to the list, making a "Big Four".

Allies of World War II
同盟國/同盟国  (Chinese)
Alliés  (French)
Антигитлеровская коалиция  (Russian)
1939–1945
A 1943 poster showing the flags of many of the members of the Allies, including the "Big Three"
Full list
StatusMilitary alliance
Historical eraWorld War II
February 1921
August 1939
September 1939 – June 1940
June 1941
July 1941
August 1941
January 1942
May 1942
November–December 1943
1–15 July 1944
4–11 February 1945
April–June 1945
July–August 1945
Succeeded by
United Nations

1939-1941

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Poland was invaded by Germany on 1 September 1939, so Britain and France declared war two days later.

Later many more countries would join the alliance after Germany would invade them, France fell and a puppet state would be put in place, so the British and the remaining forces would invade the Vichy french territories.

(These freed lands would later be called Free France)

Germany would invade the Soviet Union on 22 June 1941 and the Soviets would ally with the British and the other allies.

the United States would join the war after the Japanese boomed Pearl Harbor.

Declaration by the United Nations

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The alliance was formalised in the Declaration by United Nations signed on 1 January 1942. There were the 26 original signatories of the declaration; the Big Four were listed first:

1942-1945

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later advances in Eastern europe and North Africa in late 1942 would change the course of the war and continue on other fronts until the war ended. (there were also slow advances in the pacific)

Italy would change sides on 8 September 1943 after arresting Mussolini.

Romania would change sided on 23 August 1944 after deposing.

Bulgaria and Finland would change sides in September 1944 after making peace with the Soviets.

Germany would surrender on 8 May 1945 and Japan on 2 September 1945.

Timeline of allied nations entering the war

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The following list denotes dates on which states declared war on the Axis powers, or on which an Axis power declared war on them. The Indian Empire had a status less independent than the Dominions.

 

  Poland (September 1 1939)

  France (September 3 1939)

  United Kingdom (September 3 1939)

  Australia (September 3 1939)

  New Zealand (September 3 1939)

    Nepal (September 4 1939)

  South Africa (September 6 1939)

  Canada (September 10 1939)

  Oman (September 10 1939)

  Norway (April 8 1940)

  Denmark (April 9 1940)

  Belgium (May 10 1940)

  Luxembourg (May 10 1940)

  Netherlands (May 10 1940)

  Greece (October 28 1940)

  Yugoslavia (April 6 1941)

  Soviet Union (June 22 1941)

  Panama (December 7 1941)

  United States (December 8 1941)

  Costa Rica (December 8 1941)

  Dominican Republic (December 8 1941)

  El Salvador (December 8 1941)

  Haiti (December 8 1941)

  Honduras (December 8 1941)

  Nicaragua (December 8 1941)

  Republic of China (December 9 1941)

  Cuba (December 9 1941)

  Guatemala (December 9 1941)

  Mexico (May 22 1942)

  Brazil (August 22 1942)

  Ethiopia ( December 14 1942)

  Iraq (January 16 1943)

  Bolivia (April 7 1943)

  Colombia (July 26 1943)

  Iran (September 9 1943)

  Italy (October 10 1943)

  Liberia (January 27 1944)

  Romania (August 25 1944)

  Bulgaria (September 8 1944)

  Ecuador (February 2 1945)

  Paraguay (February 7 1945)

  Peru (February 12 1945)

  Uruguay (February 15 1945)

  Venezuela (February 15 1945)

  Turkey (February 23 1945)

  Egypt (February 24 1945)

  Syria (February 26 1945)

  Lebanon (February 27 1945)

  Saudi Arabia (March 1 1945)

  Finland (March 3 1945)

  Argentina (March 27 1945)

  Chile (April 11 1945)

  Mongolia (August 10 1945)