Warring States in World War II

Power groups around 1943–1945, but within the limits of 1939

Most belligerent states in World War II belonged to one of the two great alliances, theone ledby Germany on the one hand (" Axis " or three-power pact ) or the one that developed out of British-French cooperation ( Allies ). Some states have only been at war with part of the opposing alliance, and some have switched sides during the war.

The following list does not necessarily reflect the actual situation. Large parts of the world were colonies at that time , but these countries could definitely be actively involved through troop contingents (e.g. India ). Other states were formally independent, but strongly influenced by a great power ( Commonwealth , Central American states , Croatia , Slovakia ), or subject to occupation ( Vichy France ). The United States did not officially enter the war until the end of 1941 and even recognized Vichy France until 1942, but had already supported Great Britain with material beforehand. Other states have made a declaration of war , but did not take part in the fighting to any significant extent and were possibly only of certain importance for naval warfare .

Formal declarations of war are only considered if the state of war has not already been established by an attack, as these are then irrelevant.

Tripartite Pact States and Allies

Country	entry into the war	Reason or type of start of war and remarks
German Empire	September 1, 1939	Attack on Poland, declared war on the United States on December 11, 1941.
Slovak Republic	1939	Active participation in the war. German satellite state since 1939, recognized by states such as the United States, France and the Soviet Union, had its own armed forces.
Republic of Finland	November 30, 1939	Attacked by the Soviet Union, peace treaty in 1940. From June 25, 1941 " Continuation War " only against the Soviet Union. After the surrender to the Soviets in 1944, initially declared his neutrality, but then declared war on the German Reich on March 3, 1945 (retroactively from September 19, 1944, since Finnish and Soviet troops pushed the Wehrmacht out of Finland).
Kingdom of Italy	June 10, 1940	At the beginning of the war in 1939, initially the proclamation of "non-warfare" instead of classic neutrality; in 1940 entry into the war against Great Britain and France. The government of Pietro Badoglio , in office since July 1943, declared war on Germany on October 13, 1943 (the Italian Social Republic , a satellite state of Hitler, remained on the German side).
Kingdom of Hungary	April 11, 1941	Against Yugoslavia, since June 1941 also involved in the operation against the Soviet Union. On December 28, 1944, the Provisional Government declared war on Germany.
Kingdom of Bulgaria	April 19, 1941	Entry into the war only after massive German pressure. Declared its neutrality on August 27, 1944, and finally Germany on September 8, 1944, declared war.
Independent state of Croatia	1941	Active participation in the war, satellite state, only recognized by the Axis powers, but had its own armed forces .
Kingdom of Romania	June 22, 1941	Participation in the war against the Soviet Union . Germany declared war on August 25, 1944.
Empire of Japan	July 7, 1937 and December 7, 1941	Attack on the United States (see Attack on Pearl Harbor ).
Manchukuo Empire	1936 and December 7, 1941	Japanese satellite state , recognized by 24 states (including six states that did not belong to the axis or were axis-friendly).
Kingdom of Thailand	December 21, 1941	Signed a military alliance with Japan. Active participation in the war in Burma.
Italian social republic	September 23, 1943	After Italy's northern Italian satellite state of the Third Reich, only recognized by the Axis Powers, had its own armed forces, de facto recognition through the declaration of war by the Allies, existed until the end of April 1945.

Added to this are the governments set up by Germany and Japan in the occupied countries and newly created states, which in general hardly had their own armies, but supported the respective armies.

Allies and allies

All American states declared war on the Axis powers, but only Canada, the United States, Mexico and Brazil were militarily active. (The other states not involved in the fighting are highlighted in gray.) Declarations of war have not necessarily been made to all states of the opposing alliance.

Country	entry into the war	Reason or type of start of war and remarks
China	1936/1937 and 0December 9, 1941	attacked by Japan or declaration of war on Germany, but since 1940 pro-Japanese puppet government in Nanking, which acceded to the Anti-Comintern Pact in 1941
Poland	0September 1, 1939 and December 11, 1941	attacked by Germany without a declaration of war; attacked by Soviet Union without declaration of war; Declaration of war on Japan by government-in-exile ; in the later course of the war, the exiled troops fought on the western and eastern fronts
Great Britain	0September 3, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a result of the assistance pact with Poland
France	0September 3, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a result of the assistance pact with Poland
Australia	0September 3, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a member of the British Commonwealth
India	0September 3, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a member of the British Commonwealth
New Zealand	0September 3, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a member of the British Commonwealth
South African Union	0September 6, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a member of the British Commonwealth
Canada	September 10, 1939	Declaration of war on Germany as a member of the British Commonwealth
Soviet Union	September 17, 1939 and June 22, 1941 and 0August 8, 1945	Invasion of Poland; attacked by Germany, no declaration of war is made; Declaration of war on Japan
Norway	0April 9, 1940	attacked by Germany without a declaration of war
Belgium	May 10, 1940	attacked by Germany without a declaration of war
Luxembourg	May 10, 1940 and January 15, 1942	attacked by Germany without a declaration of war; Declaration of war by the government in exile
Netherlands	May 10, 1940	attacked by Germany without a declaration of war
Greece	October 28, 1940 and 0April 6, 1941	attacked by Italy and Germany
Yugoslavia	0April 6, 1941	attacked by Germany without a declaration of war
Tuvinian People's Republic	June 25, 1941	Declaration of war on Germany (great Soviet influence); Tuvan units fought in the Red Army
United States	0December 7, 1941 and December 11, 1941	attacked by Japan (declaration of war on December 8th) and Germany declaring war
Philippines	0December 8, 1941 and June 14, 1942	Attacked by Japan or declaration of war on Germany (self-governing US colony until 1946), but Laurel is a pro-Japanese puppet government in the Anti-Comintern Pact
Costa Rica	0December 8, 1941 and January 13, 1942	Declaration of war on Japan or Italy (large US influence); not involved in any fighting
Guatemala	0December 9, 1941 and December 11, 1941	Declaration of war on Japan or on Germany (great US influence); not involved in any fighting
Cuba	0December 9, 1941 and December 12, 1941	Declaration of war on Japan or on Germany (great US influence); not involved in any fighting
Panama	0December 9, 1941 and January 16, 1942	Declaration of war on Japan or on Germany (great US influence); not involved in any fighting
Czechoslovakia	0December 9, 1941 and December 17, 1941	Declaration of war by the government- in - exile on three-power pact states ; Troops in exile fought on the Eastern Front and the Western Front
Dominican Republic	December 11, 1941	Declaration of war on three-power pact states (large US influence); not involved in any fighting
El Salvador	December 12, 1941	Declaration of war on three-power pact states (large US influence); not involved in any fighting
Haiti	December 12, 1941	President Élie Lescot declares, "Haitian bombers will plow the skies over Tokyo and Berlin and sow terror among the German and Japanese populations." Not involved in any fighting, Haiti had only a single-digit number of obsolete military vehicles and aircraft.
Honduras	December 12, 1941	Declaration of war on three-power pact states (American influence); not involved in any fighting
Nicaragua	December 12, 1941	Declaration of war on three-power pact states (great American influence); not involved in any fighting
Mexico	May 22 0, 1942	Declaration of war on Germany (US influence); Involved with air units of the Escuadrón Aéreo de Pelea 201 1945 in the Pacific
Brazil	August 22, 1942 and 0June 6, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany or Japan (great American influence); active participation in the war on the Italian front with the Força Expedicionária Brasileira
Ethiopia	0December 1, 1942	Declaration of war on Germany; was occupied by Italy until 1941
Iraq	January 16, 1943	Declaration of war on Germany; April 1941 pro-German putsch , which is suppressed by the British
Bolivia	0April 7, 1943	Declaration of war on Germany and Japan; supplies the Allies with cheap tin , not involved in any fighting
Iran	0September 9, 1943 and 0March 1, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany or Japan; was occupied by the Soviet Union (in the north) and Great Britain ( Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran ) in 1941
Colombia	November 27, 1943	Declaration of war on Germany (great US influence); not involved in any fighting
Liberia	January 27, 1944	Declaration of war on Germany; not involved in any fighting
Ecuador	02. 2. 1945	Declaration of war on Germany and Japan (only after political pressure from the United States); not involved in any fighting
Paraguay	0February 8, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany and Japan (great American influence); not involved in any fighting
Peru	February 12, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany and Japan (great American influence); not involved in any fighting
Chile	February 14 0, 1945 and February 16 0, 1945	Declaration of war on Japan or on Germany (great US influence); not involved in any fighting
Venezuela	February 16, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany (great US influence); not involved in any fighting
Uruguay	February 23, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany (only after political pressure from the United States); not involved in any fighting
Turkey	February 23, 1945	Neutrality, treaties of friendship and trade with both sides during the war. In February 1945 war was declared on Germany and Japan in order to be accepted into the United Nations. However, there was no intervention in the war.
Egypt	February 24, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany and Japan after the pro-Axis government was overthrown by the British in 1944; there was also fighting on Egyptian soil in 1941 and 1942
Syria	February 26, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany; previously occupied by the Free French and British in 1941
Lebanon	February 27, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany; previously occupied by the Free French and British in 1941
Saudi Arabia	February 28, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany; Diplomatic relations were broken off on September 11, 1939, not involved in any fighting, but in 1940 (mistaken) Italian bombing of Dhahran
Argentina	March 27, 1945	Declaration of war on Germany and Japan (great American influence), but was at least not anti-German beforehand; not involved in any fighting
Mongolia	August 11, 1945	Declaration of war only on Japan, strong influence of the Soviet Union, was a staging area for the USSR, Mongolian troops fought alongside the Red Army against the Japanese

Neutral, but involved in the war

Country	entry into the war	Remarks
Denmark	in the war since 0April 9, 1940	attacked and occupied by Germany, surrender after a few hours; a declaration of war was not made; Accession to the Anti-Comintern Pact in November 1941; Until August 29, 1943 with an independent government, even after that no government in exile or declaration of war, but “non-cooperation” with the occupying power
Estonia	neutral	September 28, 1939 Soviet-Estonian support and base agreement, then stationing of Soviet units; June 16, 1940 Communist seizure of power following a Soviet ultimatum, minor fighting; August 9, 1940 annexed to the Soviet Union.
Latvia	neutral	October 5, 1939 Soviet-Latvian support and base agreement, thereupon stationing of Soviet units; June 16, 1940 Communist seizure of power following a Soviet ultimatum, minor fighting; August 5, 1940 joining the Soviet Union.
Lithuania	neutral	October 10, 1939 Soviet-Lithuanian support and base agreement, thereupon stationing of Soviet units, transfer of the previously Polish Vilnius area to Lithuania; June 15, 1940 Communist seizure of power following a Soviet ultimatum, no fighting; August 3, 1940 annexed to the Soviet Union.
Monaco	neutral	1940 by Italy, from 1943 occupied by Germany, bombed by the RAF in 1944 and occupied by France in 1944
Nepal	neutral	despite strong British influence, the British army recruited Gurkha in Nepal with the government's approval
San Marino	neutral	Fascist government until 1943, occupied by the Wehrmacht in 1943/44, occupied by the British in 1944/45
Sweden	neutral	sent volunteers and materials to Finland with government support in 1939; The Wehrmacht and the Allies had sent regular troops through Sweden; until 1943 pro-German economic agreements; October 3rd, 1940 British bombing raid on Malmö and November 18, 1943 British air raid on Lund; February 22nd, 1944 Soviet bombing raid on Stockholm (Södermalm district), Strängnäs, Södertälje and the northern outer archipelago; 1945 mobilization to support an Allied invasion of Denmark and Norway if necessary; see also Baltic delivery
Switzerland	neutral	mobilized from 1939 to 1945 for national defense, territorial border protection with anti-aircraft battles on the northern / northeastern border .
Spain	neutral	sent volunteers and material - the " Blue Division " - together to Germany with government support
Portugal	neutral	originally friendly to the axes, but later more and more friendly to the allies; With government support, sent volunteers and material (mainly tungsten through Spain, essential for the war effort until 1944) to Germany and the Allies. 1939 Military Cooperation Agreement with the United Kingdom; from 1943 the use of the port and airport in the Azores was allowed, from 1944 also by the USA. The islands of Lapa, São João and Montanha (today Hengqin), next to Macau and informally occupied by Portugal since 1615, are occupied by Japan in 1941. Portuguese Timor is initially occupied by British-Dutch troops, disregarding Portuguese neutrality, and then conquered by Japan in the Battle of Timor in 1942 . Condolences on Hitler's death.

Neutrals

Country	entry into the war	Remarks
Andorra	neutral	was de jure at war with Germany from the First World War until September 25, 1939
Ireland	neutral	there is an anti-British mood in the country; Irish troops prepare for both a British and a German invasion, around 4,000 Irish soldiers desert and join the British armed forces
Liechtenstein	neutral	Volunteers (without support) in the Wehrmacht and SS ; Putsch by the Liechtenstein National Socialists failed in 1939, 1945 admission of Russian soldiers who had fought on the German side

See also

• Anti-Hitler coalition

Individual evidence

1. ^ Hans Christoph book : Haiti. Obituary for a failed state. Wagenbach, Berlin 2010, ISBN 978-3-8031-2648-1 , p. 173.
2. ↑ Mortimer Epstein (Ed.): The Statesman's Yearbook. Statistical and Historical Annual of the States of the World for the Year 1945. 82nd edition. Macmillan & Co., London 1945, p. 810. doi: 10.1057 / 9780230270749 ( PDF, 0.3 MB )
3. ^ Robert Lessmann : For example: Bolivia. Lamuv, Göttingen 2004, ISBN 3-88977-645-0 , p. 62.
4. ↑ Denis J. Fodor: The Neutrals (= World War II. Volume 35). Time-Life Books, Alexandria 1982, ISBN 0-8094-3431-8 , pp. 169, 172.
5. ↑ Ralph Tuchtenhagen : Little History of Sweden , page 135. Verlag CH Beck, Munich 2008
6. ↑ Ursula Prutsch: Iberian dictatorships. Portugal under Salazar, Spain under Franco . StudienVerlag, Innsbruck 2012, ISBN 978-3-7065-5112-0 , pp. 49, 132.
7. ↑ Ursula Prutsch: Iberian dictatorships. Portugal under Salazar, Spain under Franco . StudienVerlag, Innsbruck 2012, ISBN 978-3-7065-5112-0 , p. 50.
8. ↑ Denis J. Fodor: The Neutrals (= World War II. Volume 35). Time-Life Books, Alexandria 1982, ISBN 0-8094-3431-8 , p. 156.