This week, seventy years ago, representatives of the German Reich, the Kingdom of Italy and the Empire of Japan met in Berlin to execute The Tripartite Pact. The Tripartite Pact, also called the Three-Power Pact, Three-Way Pact or Tripartite Treaty, was signed in Berlin, Germany on September 27, 1940. It converted the Rome-Berlin Axis, which was created by the Pact of Steel in 1938, to the Rome-Berlin-Tokyo Axis. The Pact was signed by representatives of Germany (Adolph Hitler) Italy (Foreign Minister Count Galeazzo Ciano), and Japan (Ambassador Saburo Kurusu).
    The three Nations agreed that for the next ten years they would, “...stand by and cooperate with one another in their prime purpose to establish and maintain a new order of things - to promote the mutual prosperity and welfare of the peoples concerned.”  They recognized each other’s spheres of interest and undertook, “...to assist one another with all political, economic and military means when one of the Powers is attacked...” by a Country not already involved in the War, excluding the Soviet Union.
    The Pact supplemented the Anti-Comintern Pact of 1936 and helped overcome the rift that had developed between Japan and Germany following the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact signed by Germany and the Soviet Union in 1939.
    Just prior to the formation of the Tripartite Pact, the Soviet Union was informed of its existence, and the potential of its joining. On November 12, 1940, Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov visited Germany to discuss the U.S.S.R. joining. Molotov agreed, in principle, to join as long as some details could be worked out, such as the Soviet annexation of Finland.  When Germany received the Soviet offer, it simply did not respond as it was already in preparation for its invasion of the Soviet Union.  Germany had no intention of allowing the U.S.S.R. to join the Pact.
    During one of the discussions, which had to be relocated to a bomb shelter while the R.A.F. was bombing Berlin, German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop was rambling on about how the British were beaten. Commissar Molotov pointedly inquired, “If that is so, why are we in this shelter, and who is dropping those bombs?”
    The Pact was primarily an anti-American Alliance.  The significance was that it bound all three to fight against America if America entered WWII on the side of Britain, or if the USA attacked Japan.
    The Pact simply stated:
    1.  Japan recognized and respects the leadership of Germany and Italy in the establishment of a New Order in Europe.
    2.  Germany and Italy recognize and respect the leadership of Japan in the establishment of a New Order in Greater East Asia.
    3.  The three agree to assist one another with all political, economic and military means if any are attacked by a power at present not involved in the European War on in the Japanese-Chinese Conflict.
    4.  Japan, Germany and Italy affirm the Pact in no way affects the political status existing at present between each and the Soviet Union.
    Hungary joined the Tripartite Pact on November 20, 1940. It was being drawn closer and closer to Germany because the Germans were aiding it in recovering territory lost after WWI pursuant to the Treaty of Trianon.
    Romania joined the Tripartite Pact on November 23, 1940.  The Fascist Iron Guard Party came to power and wanted protection against the Soviet Union.
    Bulgaria joined on March 1, 1941 after Hitler promised to return the territories it lost to Serbia and Greece after WWI.  The documents were executed by Bulgarian Prime Minister Bogdan Filov in a ceremony held in Vienna.
    On behalf of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, the Regent, Prince Paul, on March 25, 1941, in a ceremony also held in Vienna, executed the document.  On March 27th the Yugoslav Government was overthrown by a Military coup d’étate and the new government initially tried to dissolve the Pact, but later declared adherence to it.  The initial agreement allowed for free movement of German troops around the country.  This was unsatisfactory to Hitler and resulted in the invasion of Yugoslavia.
    The Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska, or NDH) joined the Pact on June 15, 1941. The Croatian Poglavnik, Dr. Ante Pavelic, executed the documents on behalf of the NDH.
    Finland was asked to sign the Pact several times, but refused because it felt its conflict with the Soviet Union was a separate war and it wanted to keep diplomatic relations with the United States.
    Thailand never formally signed the Tripartite Pact, but after Japan’s invasion of the country in 1941, Thailand signed a Military Alliance with Japan, which in turn linked the Kingdom to the Tripartite Pact.  Thai forces later contributed to the Japanese war effort by helping in the invasion of Burma in 1942.
    Following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, and the German and Italian Declaration of War on the United States on December 11, 1941, the Tripartite Pact became entirely defunct, as all three signatories were now at war with America of their own choosing.  However, it was technically still in operation until 1943 when Italy surrendered to the Allies.  In 1944 both Bulgaria and Romania changed sides and became Allies of the Soviet Union.  Germany overran what was left of Independent Slovakia in mid 1944.  In April 1945 Hungary was overrun and its pro-German Dictator, Ferenc Szálasi, and his Fascist Government were forced to flee.  After Germany surrendered, only Japan remained and the Treaty no longer had any effective meaning.