Allied Powers

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1. (in World War I) the countries opposed to the Central Powers; the major Allied Powers were France, the British Empire, and the Russian Empire, formally joined by the Treaty of London, signed on September 5, 1914. Other Allies, linked by treaty to one or more of the Allied Powers, included Portugal, Japan, and Italy, but not the United States, even after its entry into the war in April 1917. The United States, and other countries opposed to the Central Powers, were called “Associated Powers.” See also Central Powers.

2. (in World War II) the countries opposed to the Axis Powers; the major Allied Powers were Great Britain, France, the Soviet Union, the United States, and China. In general, the Allies included all the nations that had signed the Declaration of the United Nations on January 1, 1942. See also Axis Powers.)

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.