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List of countries involved in World War II

Formal Participants in World War II

Axis Powers (signers of the Tripartite Treaty)

co-signers of the Tripartite Treaty Countries that were annexed by, or at war with, Axis Powers before the World War II Allied Powers Supporters of the Allies Countries that were attacked, occupied, or switched sides during the war
(Most countries below had declared their neutrality before being assaulted.) Countries that remained nominally neutral Notes:
  1. Slovakia proclaims independence of Czechoslovakia on March 14th, 1939. Nazi German influence and Wehrmacht presence was considerable until the German occupation in September 1944. The rest of Czechoslovakia, the provinces Bohemia and Moravia, were occupied by Germany March 15th 1939, and proclaimed German protectorates.
  2. Egypt was technically neutral, but Cairo soon became a major military base for the British forces. This was because of a 1936 treaty by which Britain argued it had the right to station troops on Egyptian soil in order to protect the Suez Canal.
  3. Yugoslavia began the war as a neutral but Yugoslavia's Regent signed the Tripartite Treaty on March 25th, 1941, and met an anti-Nazi coup d'état when he returned on March 27th. This led to German occupation from April 6th 1941.
  4. France surrendered to Germany on June 22nd 1940, and the Vichy government was installed, which cooperated with the Germans. However substantial French forces continued to fight on the Allied side as Free French.
  5. French colonies initially fought alongside their parent country. When France surrendered most recognised the Vichy government.