Japans Own

What lead to Japan and Germany becoming allies in WW2?

Why and how did this alliance form? Germany & Italy were Facist in government and were preaching white supremancy. Japan held a feudal monarchy with a militaristic ruling class. Japan, it would seem, wouldn't fit with Hitler's view on race. What did either side gain by being allies?

Public Comments

1. I think we pissed Japan off by dropping atomic bombs on them, after the whole "Pearl Harbor Incident". Seems like a good reason to team up and hate the USA. This is a very good question, so I'll give you a star and see what others say to it.
2. Germany and Italy alligned in an agreement entitled the Rome-Berlin Axis Proclamation that was signed in 1936. Japan and Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact against the Soviet Union (who was an enemy of both nations) soon after. This led to a full military and political alliance in 1940 under the Tripartite Pact. The act basically stated that Germany had domain over Europe, Italy over the Med and Japan over Asia. Both sides (Germany and Japan) wanted protection against the Soviet Union and the United States. It was really a bold move by Hitler, who didn't care too much for Asia as it didn't have many resources that he would need in his goal to conquer Europe, North Africa and western Asia.
3. Well Germany was always an enemy of the U.S. because it had attacked England and France (allies of the U.S.) but I believe they were pretty much forced to declare war against the U.S. after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The original plan was probably to have an axis in which Japan would rule Asia and eventually Germany may have gone and invaded Japan anyways. Japan had to strengthen itself militarily because of all the incursions that the west had made upon Japan starting from when Commodore William Perry of the US Navy aimed his cannons at Japan and forced them to open up trade.
4. Because Hitler wanted to use Japan to help defeat Russia and Southeast-Asia. Hitler would attack Russia from the west and Japan would attack Russia from the east and Russia would be caught in a giant pincer movement fighting a two front war. Rommel was supposed to conquer Egypt and Japan was to conquer South-east Asia. They would then join forces and conquer China. If things worked out right Germany and Japan would control all of Europe, Russia and Asia. That's why Japan attacked America at Pearl Harbor. They thought it would knock America out of the war long enough to accomplish the things stated above. But when the American air-craft carriers were not sunk at Pearl Harbor( they were out on manuevers) it changed things and the rest is history.
5. well firstly the japanese and germans had quite similar racial outlooks - the germans believed in aryan ideal whilst japan taught that because they had never been colonized and they had an army that was unbeaten in any war throughout its history that they were in fact superior to any of the asian nations and had a right to create 'an east asian co-prosperity area' as they called it or japanese colonization of the pacific region has the west would put because they were racially better then any other asian group - this can be seen in there treatment of the indigineous chinese, filipino and burmese races. japan had a constitution and government modelled on that of germany. japan and germany had long been in contact with each other exchanging ideas on political control and systems. after ww1 japan was one of the only contries in the world that accepted german trade and influence. in return germany aided japans transition from a sogun type society into a modern government system it was a marriage of convenience - germany had no interests in the pacific area england , america, france and holland all had colonies and interests in the area. germany would only gain if japan was to extend its area of control. communisim - both countries hated communist ideals and saw them has a huge threat. japan also had russia on its border in manchuria and korea(which it controlled) so was eager to sign the anti-commintern (agreement to fight russia irf attacked) pact with italy - germany -japan militaristic societies - both countries had a history of militarisim and backed each others outlook that they should be able to increase the size of their militry from a ration of 3 to 5 compared to america and britain and even brought this point tot the league of nations. expansionisim - japan supported italys claim to ethiopia, germanys claim to sudetenland and danzig corridor while germany supported the japese claim to manchuria