Allied powers | History & Facts (2024)

Allied powers, those countries allied in opposition to the Central Powers (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey) in World War I or to the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and Japan) in World War II.

The major Allied powers in World War I were Great Britain (and the British Empire), France, and the Russian Empire, formally linked by the Treaty of London of September 5, 1914. Other countries that had been, or came to be, allied by treaty to one or more of those powers were also called Allies: Portugal and Japan by treaty with Britain; Italy by the Treaty of London of April 26, 1915, with all three powers. Other countries—including the United States after its entry on April 6, 1917—that were arrayed against the Central Powers were called “Associated Powers,” not Allied powers; U.S. Pres. Woodrow Wilson emphasized that distinction to preserve America’s free hand. The Treaty of Versailles (June 28, 1919) concluding the war listed 27 “Allied and Associated Powers”: Belgium, Bolivia, Brazil, the British Empire, China, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Ecuador, France, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, the Hejaz, Honduras, Italy, Japan, Liberia, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serb-Croat-Slovene State, Siam, the United States, and Uruguay.

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In World War II the chief Allied powers were Great Britain, France (except during the German occupation, 1940–44), the Soviet Union (after its entry in June 1941), the United States (after its entry on December 8, 1941), and China. More generally, the Allies included all the wartime members of the United Nations, the signatories to the Declaration of the United Nations. The original signers of January 1, 1942, were Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Yugoslavia. Subsequent wartime signers were (in chronological order) Mexico, the Philippines, Ethiopia, Iraq, Brazil, Bolivia, Iran, Colombia, Liberia, France, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, Uruguay, Turkey, Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon.

The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Jeff Wallenfeldt.

Allied powers | History & Facts (2024)

FAQs

Who were the 5 main Allied Powers? ›

In World War II the chief Allied powers were Great Britain, France (except during the German occupation, 1940–44), the Soviet Union (after its entry in June 1941), the United States (after its entry on December 8, 1941), and China.

What is a fun fact about the Allied Powers? ›

Did You Know?
  • Romania switched sides and became one of the Allied Powers during WWII in 1944.
  • The main Allied countries all had different goals for the end of the war in both WWI and WWII, which complicated the peace process and often led (sometimes indirectly) to further conflicts.

Which were the Allied Powers in the Second World War answer? ›

Allied powers, coalition of countries that opposed the Axis powers (led by Germany, Italy, and Japan) during World War II. The principal members of the Allies were the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, the United States, and China (the “Big Four”), as well as France while it was unoccupied.

Who were the Big 3 Allied Powers? ›

In World War II, the three great Allied powers—Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union—formed a Grand Alliance that was the key to victory.

What were the 6 major Allied powers? ›

The war pitted the Central Powers—mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey—against the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States.

Who were the 4 Allied powers and their leaders? ›

Who Were the Allies: The main Allied powers were Great Britain, The United States, China, and the Soviet Union. The leaders of the Allies were Franklin Roosevelt (the United States), Winston Churchill (Great Britain), and Joseph Stalin (the Soviet Union).

What did the Allied Powers do? ›

The Allied Powers fought against Nazi Germany and the other Axis Powers in World War II. By March 1945, forty-seven states had signed the Declaration by United Nations. The three main Allied Powers were Great Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union.

What is Allied Powers simple? ›

Allied powers are nations that have joined in an alliance. More specifically, the term may refer to: Allies of World War I, member nations of the World War I alliance who fought against the Central Powers. Allies of World War II, member nations of the World War II alliance who fought against the Axis Powers.

What benefits did the Allied Powers have? ›

Advantages that the Allies had that the Axis could not keep up with were economic and industrial supremacy. The United States turned all of its industrial might to military production and was able to out produce Germany and Japan easily.

Who did the Allied powers fight against? ›

The Allies, formally referred to as the United Nations from 1942, were an international military coalition formed during World War II (1939–1945) to oppose the Axis powers.

Who did the Allies fight in WWII? ›

The principal belligerents were the Axis powers—Germany, Italy, and Japan—and the Allies—France, Great Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and, to a lesser extent, China. The war was in many respects a continuation, after an uneasy 20-year hiatus, of the disputes left unsettled by World War I.

How many allies does the US have? ›

The report lists 34 countries—NATO members, Japan, South Korea and Australia, (three Pacific allies) and the six member countries of the GCC. These countries are seen as US allies given the minimal requirements of alliance.

Who are our allies? ›

The United States works with allies and partners to maintain security and stability in the region. South Korea, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand are treaty allies of the United States, and strategy with those countries is tied to those mutual defense treaties.

What countries made up the Allies? ›

The Entente, or the Allies, were an international military coalition of countries led by France, the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, Italy, and Japan against the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria in World War I (1914–1918). Principal Entente Powers: France.

What does allies mean in WW1? ›

Page 1 – Introduction

The military alliance that fought against the Central Powers was known as the Allies. Initially this alliance was based around the four great powers of Russia, France, Japan and the British Empire, along with the smaller states of Serbia, Montenegro and Belgium that also went to war in 1914.

Who were the Allied powers in WWI? ›

The Entente, or the Allies, were an international military coalition of countries led by France, the United Kingdom, Russia, the United States, Italy, and Japan against the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire, and Bulgaria in World War I (1914–1918).

Who were the Allies in World War 1? ›

The war pitted the Central Powers—mainly Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey—against the Allies—mainly France, Great Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, and, from 1917, the United States.

Who were the Allies in WW1 and ww2? ›

The Allied powers group consisted of France, Britain, Russia, Italy, Japan, Canada and (from 1917) the U.S. World War II (a.k.a the Second World War), the opposing alliances are now referred to as 'The Axis' and 'The Allies'. The Axis group consisted of Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Who were the major Allied and Central Powers? ›

Although other nations eventually joined the war, the major Allied Powers consisted of France, Great Britain, and Russia. The Allies fought the major Central Powers, which were Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Turkey. Each side was euphoric with patriotism, convinced the war would be short and they would be victorious.

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