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Italy under Benito Mussolini became part of the Axis powers with Germany (and later Japan). The Axis forces were opposed by 'the Allies'. Italy began its part in World War 2 on June 10, 1940 by helping Germany invade France. This brought Italy into war with France, and Great Britain (& Commonwealth countries). There were other allied nations: Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, & Poland-that were already occupied by the Germans or soon to be. So you can also count these as enemies of Italy in 1940. Some other countries would join the Axis during the war-these were Hungary, Croatia (after Yugoslavia was occupied), Bulgaria & Rumania. Italy had already attacked and occupied Eithopia (in East Africa). Italy had already occupied Albania, and then would attack Greece in October 1940. In 1941 Germany would attack Yugoslavia and Greece (to help Italy), thereby adding Yugoslavia to the growing list of Italy's enemies. Stalin's Russia was a temporary ally of Hitler's Germany August 1939 to July 1941. Russia was not part of the Axis, however when Hitler attacked Russia in July 1941, then Italy also participated in the fight against Russia. By the way, after Germany & Italy defeated France in 1940, a French puppet government (Vichy France) ran the southern half of France on behalf of Germany. So you could say that Vichy France was an ally of the Axis. Well in December 1941, thanks to the Japanese attacks on the United States, and Germany's declaration of war on the USA, Mussolini (Italy) declared war on the USA also. The widening of the war in the Pacific and now including the US added to Italy's enemies list: USA, China, Brazil, Portugal and a few other nations in Asia & Central & South America. In 1943 the Allies invaded & seized Sicily (part of Italy), and then invaded the Italian mainland at Salerno, south of Naples. These events caused the majority of the Italian people to turn against Mussolini. The Italian government would split into the two factions: Pro-German Fascists and the Pro-Allies Republican. The Republican faction of government was formally endorsed by Italy's King, and ended its war with the allies, and would later declare war on Germany, thus switching sides while German forces resisted the Allied invasion in Italy. The part of Italy occupied by Germany would be in-name only aligned with Germany under Fascist leadership. Most Italians were now sympathetic to the Allied cause and considered Allied forces to be liberators. Italy would end the war on the side of the allies, however its earlier siding with Germany would put it in an unusual political position at the end of the war. Also Bulgaria & Rumania would switch sides to the Allies after the Russians invaded.

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17y ago

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