IB History Reasons for Axis Defeat and Allied Victory Key Definitions

The military alliance between Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union formed in 1941 after Germany invaded the USSR and Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. Despite their ideological differences, the three powers coordinated strategy to defeat the Axis, agreeing the Europe First priority and planning the Normandy invasion.

US legislation signed by President Roosevelt on 11 March 1941 that authorised supplying any nation whose defence was deemed vital to US security. Over $50 billion in goods were supplied to Allied nations, primarily Britain ($31bn) and the Soviet Union ($11bn), including food, weapons, aircraft, and vehicles.

A major Soviet offensive launched on 23 June 1944 that destroyed Army Group Centre, the largest German formation on the Eastern Front. In eight weeks the operation advanced 600 kilometres westward, killing or capturing over 800,000 German troops. Often described as the most decisive Allied military operation of the Second World War in Europe.

A summit meeting between Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin held in Tehran, Iran in November-December 1943. The first meeting of the "Big Three" Allied leaders, it agreed that Operation Overlord (the Normandy landings) would proceed in 1944 and that the USSR would enter the war against Japan after Germany's defeat.