Axis powers
The Axis Powers is a term for the World War II alliance which included Germany, Italy and Japan and associated countries. In Allied usage, Finland was often considered an associated country. This usage is not undisputed. In Finland, the relation was characterized as co-belligerence.
The term was first used by Benito Mussolini, in November 1936, when he spoke of a Rome-Berlin axis in reference to the treaty of friendship signed between Italy and Germany on October 25, 1936. Later, in May 1939, Mussolini would describe the relationship with Germany as a "Pact of Steel", which he had earlier referred to as a "Pact of Blood".
The conditions of the pact changed on March 18, 1940 when Adolf Hitler and Mussolini met at Brenner Pass in the Alps and agreed to form an alliance against France and the United Kingdom.
The Axis was extended to include Japan as a result of the Tripartite Treaty of September 27, 1940. Bulgaria had already joined on March 1, 1940. The alliance was subsequently joined by Hungary (November 20, 1940), Romania (November 23, 1940), and Slovakia (November 24, 1940). Yugoslavia joined on March 25, 1941, but a British-supported coup d'état two days later put Yugoslavia's participation in question (although King Peter II of Yugoslavia actually declared his adherence to the treaty), leading to a German occupation in April.
Finland was attacked by the Soviet Union in 1939 (the Winter War) and 1941 (the Continuation War). In 1939 Germany and the Soviet Union were allied through the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, and Finland was viewed with sympathy by the West. After Germany's seizing of Scandinavia in the Weserübung April 1940 Finland found herself literally squezed between the Nazis and the Bolshevists, the former now opposing the latter's ambition to occupy Finland. After Germany's attack on the Soviet Union (Operation Barbarossa), the Soviets attacked Finland. This time the Soviet Union was viewed with sympathy by the West, making her one of the Allies. Thus democratic Finland became categorized together with the fascist (or authoritarian) Axis Powers. However, Finland was not considered an actual Axis power.
This became important after May 26, 1942, when Britain and USSR had agreed not to enter any separate peace negotiations with Germany or "any of her allies." Since Finland was not considered an ally of Germany, she was able to conclude the Continuation War in September 1944.
Some Italians born in this time were named Roberto, which acquired a new patriotical meaning fron "Roma-Berlino-Tokio".