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There were three major '''Axis''' countries in World War II: [[Germany]], [[Italy]], and [[Japan]]. [[Germany]] and [[Italy]] started the war when Germany made invasions into eastern [[Europe]]. Italy invaded North Africa, having a strategic place in the world for making an African conquest. Japan invaded [[China]] and most of the south [[Asian]] countries. This stirred the world in many different moods. Then on December 7, 1941, the [[Japanese]] launched one of the most damaging ambushes of all time on the [[United States of America]]; forcing a sleeping giant to awake. The Americans lost about 3,000 sailors in the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]]. The minor Axis powers were [[Hungary]], [[Romania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Bulgaria]],[[Yugoslavia]], and [[Croatia]].

There were three major '''Axis''' countries in World War II: [[Germany]], [[Italy]], and [[Japan]]. [[Germany]] started the war in 1939, by invading [[Poland]]; [[Italy]] joined in 1940, after the invasion of [[France]]. Italy also invaded North Africa and Greece, taking advantage of its strategic place in the Mediterranean. In 1939, Japan was already engaged in a war against [[China]]; it took advantage of the fall of France to occupy other territories in Southeast Asia. This stirred the world in many different ways. Then on December 7, 1941, the [[Japanese]] launched one of the most damaging surprise attacks of all time on the [[United States of America]], forcing a sleeping giant to awake and join the war. The Americans lost about 3,000 sailors in the [[Attack on Pearl Harbor]].  

Other minor Axis powers were [[Hungary]], [[Romania]], [[Slovakia]], [[Bulgaria]],[[Yugoslavia]], and [[Croatia]].

The term was a reference to a 1936 speech by Mussolini, celebrating a treaty with Germany, in which he said:

The term "Axis" is a reference to a 1936 speech by Mussolini, celebrating a treaty with Germany, in which he said:

:This Rome-Berlin protocol is an axis around which all European states, animated by a desire for peace, may collaborate.<ref>Cortesi, Arnaldo (1936), "Mussolini Urges Paris and London to Enter Accord," ''The New York Times,'' November 2, 1936, p. 1</ref>

:This Rome-Berlin protocol is an axis around which all European states, animated by a desire for peace, may collaborate.<ref>Cortesi, Arnaldo (1936), "Mussolini Urges Paris and London to Enter Accord," ''The New York Times,'' November 2, 1936, p. 1</ref>

Subsequently newspapers began to use the phrase "Rome-Berlin axis," and later "Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis," or "Axis" for short.

Subsequently newspapers began to use the phrase "Rome-Berlin axis," and later "Rome-Berlin-Tokyo axis," or "Axis" for short.