During the 2WW, the Allied powers were led by the so-called “Big Three”—the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, and the United States—which were the principal contributors of manpower, resources, and strategy. Each allied power played a key role in achieving victory.
The Second World War was the biggest and deadliest war in history involving more than 30 countries. Sparked by the 1939 Nazi invasion of Poland, the war dragged on for six bloody years until the Allies defeated the Axis powers of Nazi Germany, Japan and Italy in 1945.
The Second World War was a global conflict. On 1 September 1939, the Allied coalition consisted of the United Kingdom, France, and Poland, as well as their respective dependencies, such as British India. They were soon joined by the independent dominions of the British Commonwealth: Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Consequently, the initial alliance resembled that of the First World War.
The Axis powers, originally called the Rome–Berlin Axis, was a military coalition that initiated the Second World War and fought against the Allies. Its principal members were Nazi Germany, the Kingdom of Italy, and the Empire of Japan. The Axis powers were united in their opposition to the Allies.
The top photo is an original Winnipeg Free Press newspaper from 7 May 1945 when the Nazi unconditional surrender was announced. Italy had switched sides from the Axis to the Allies in 1943. Japan would not surrender until September 1945 and only after two atomic bombs had been dropped on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.