Axis countries and Axis Powers was a military coalition of countries that fought together against the Allies during World War II. Benito Mussolini, Prime Minister of the Fascist Italy, announced that an October 1936 agreement had created an Italo-German "axis" around which future European events would revolve. Nazi Germany made a separate agreement with the Empire of Japan at the same time.
The three major powers were joined by several minor countries. The war ended in 1945 with the Axis powers losing and their alliances broken.