aksemaktene

Aksemaktene is a Norwegian historical term used to refer to the Axis powers of World War II. The name is formed by combining “akse” (axis) with “maktene” (powers). In Norwegian historiography, aksemaktene denotes the alliance of Germany, Italy, and Japan that coordinated aggressive military actions in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The Axis powers pursued expansionist aims and conducted campaigns across Europe, Africa, and Asia. In 1939–1940 they invaded multiple countries, and Norway was invaded by Nazi Germany in 1940 and remained under occupation until 1945. The Norwegian government and resistance operated in exile from London and supported intelligence and sabotage activities in occupied Norway.

In contemporary Norwegian usage, aksemaktene is primarily found in historical texts and school curricula as the Norwegian equivalent of the English term Axis powers. While older sources may use the term more frequently, modern scholarship tends to employ neutral phrasing and often uses “Axis powers” in English as well. The term appears in period documents from the 1940s and in retrospective historical works discussing World War II.

Related topics include the Axis powers, World War II, and Norway in World War II, including the Tripartite Pact and the broader Allied response to the Axis campaigns.