Was Japan and Hitler allies

Answer 1

Before the war Germany, Japan, and Italy signed an anti-communist pact out of defense against the rapidly growing U.S.S.R. After the war started however, Japan did not enter full alliance with Germany until pearl harbour. Pearl Harbour was done not to provoke the Americans to fight the Germans or to complete the alliance with Germany, it was done so Japan could crush the U.S. blockade on Japanese oil and so that Japan could quickly conquer the East Indies, which was a major oil-producing region. Japan actually commited very little to the war effort, but Germany basically needed all the allies it could get as even if it could have defeated all the worlds armies (which was impossible), there was no way for Germany to OCCUPY all that territory.

Answer 2

In the first place, it was only an association, hardly a true military alliance. The two nations never coordinated military or political manuevers during the war. True, both considered the other racially inferior but this was not unusual considering the times. Although some tinges of racial hatred still exist today, in those times they were much more prevalent and were in widespread acceptance through many nations including the USA. The British used Indian troops, the USA used negroes, the French used colonial blacks. All three thought their white ethnic peoples to be superior. That said, Germany and Japan used each other for their own gains. Japan used the German military victories in Europe to take over the therefore weakened colonial possessions of the Americans and Europeans. Germany encouraged Japan as a way to take pressure away from them via Russia and Britain, and to some extent, the USA. Neither strategy proved effective in the long run. It is also interesting to note that Japan had attacked Germany in WWI totally unprovoked. That German would siddle up to Japan only a few years later is most unusual. It just proves the expediency to which national leaders will go in order to further their political agendas.

Answer 3

Hitler was looking for a partner with a STRONG NAVY, something in which his armed forces were weak in (the German Navy was primarily a submarine navy), and a country that had a reputation for NOT being defeated in wars. Until WW2, Japan had never experienced defeat; and had fought the Russians twice within the 20th Century (1904-1905 and 1939); which also interested the Germans, as Germany was planning to fight Russia.

Japan had much respect for the German military, and had previously hired them to train their army in 1871, shortly after the Germans defeated the French during the Franco-Prussian War of 1871.

They complemented each other: One had a great navy and one had a great army.

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The key link was the Soviet Union. Germany hoped that Japan would attack the Soviets from the Far East, but the Japanese decided to go straight for the jackpot instead.

Strangely was the agreement between Stalin and Japan to not war with each other for most of WW 2.

How the Western allies and Hitler put up with this is yet to be explained. One thing is certain. In his mind, he would be victorious. At that point Japan would no longer be an ally. They were "inferior" in Hitler's mind.

Answer 4

Germany planned to rule Europe (and then Russia). Japan planned to rule Asia (and then the Pacific).

Answer 5

Yes they were allies, Hitler declared war on the u.s. because u.s. declared war on japan