138-553: AFFA may refer to: Angels Forever, Forever Angels , a slogan of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Association of Football Federations of Azerbaijan , the governing body of association football in Azerbaijan. Formerly the department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry - Australia, now Department of Agriculture (Australia, 2019–20) Topics referred to by
276-646: A World War II veteran, is credited with starting the club after breaking from the Pissed Off Bastards motorcycle club over a feud with a rival gang. According to an alternative theory, the Hells Angels were founded on November 15, 1951, in San Bernardino , by Dick White, a member of the Redlands Road Runners. According to its website, the club's name was suggested by Arvid Olsen, an associate of
414-527: A merit badge awarded to those who are "the first to arrive at a party and the last to leave". According to reports from law enforcement and prosecutors, another patch similar to the "Filthy Few" patch is the "Dequiallo" patch. "Dequiallo" is a reference to El Degüello , a bugle call played by the regimental band of Antonio López de Santa Anna 's army at the Battle of the Alamo . This patch allegedly "signifies that
552-458: A 2000 BBC interview, "The club, as a whole, is not racist but we probably have enough racist members that no black guy is going to get in it." At that time the club had no black members. A few nonwhite members have been noted in the United States. In 1967, Hunter S. Thompson remarked upon a "Chinese Mel from [San Francisco] and Charley, a young black person from Oakland". Steven Wayne Yee,
690-648: A Chinese-American member of the Hells Angels' Cleveland charter, was convicted of murder in 1990. The Satan's Angels MC in Vancouver had a black member when it merged with the Hells Angels in 1983. The San Francisco and Anchorage charters threatened to have the Vancouver charter expelled from the club when they learned of the situation; the matter was ultimately resolved when the man changed his nationality to " Hawaiian ". An unsanctioned Hells Angels charter in Windsor , England
828-467: A bottom rocker with the state, province or territory name along with the rectangular "MC" patch. To become a full member, a "prospect" must be unanimously confirmed by the rest of the full club members. Before votes are cast, a "prospect" usually travels to every charter in the sponsoring charter's geographic jurisdiction (state, province, or territory) and introduces himself to every "full-patch" member. This allows each voting member to become familiar with
966-675: A diamond-shaped "81" patch on their vests, which indicates their adherence to the Hells Angels. The Red Devils Motorcycle Club , a biker group with chapters in nearly 20 countries, is the official and most prominent support club of the Hells Angels. The Hells Angels have more than two dozen support clubs in Canada. In Norway, the Hells Angels have built up a network of support clubs over which they exert control and hold responsibility for administering three-piece back patches. The Hells Angels have also formed support groups, such as AK81 in Denmark and
1104-610: A few months and the Soviet Union quickly began the process of Sovietization , the enforcing of communist-led people's assemblies (" soviets ") which would be the new governmental bodies. The new Baltic soviets voted for their countries to become republics of the Soviet Union; the Soviet Union formally accepted these additions in August 1940. On 9 April 1940, in Operation Weserubrung , Germany invaded Norway and Denmark as essentially
1242-477: A key motivation of Germany's expansion in Europe in the mid-to-late 1930s. In 1934, Germany signed a non-aggression pact with Poland, but this would not last as Poland was considered a part of the lebensraum ; Nazi mythology considered eastern Europe to be lost German land. In 1933, Germany began building concentration camps to hold their political enemies and those they considered " degenerates ", such as people on
1380-469: A killing and tried. A list of acknowledged charters can be found on the HAMC's official website. Hells Angels chapters often oversee smaller motorcycle clubs within their locality, known as support clubs or "puppet" clubs. These clubs serve as a potential source of recruitment and earnings for the Hells Angels, and, according to law enforcement, carry out crimes on the Hells Angels' behalf in order to shield
1518-614: A monopoly on street-level drug sales in Quebec. Many drug dealers and crime families resisted and established groups such as the "Alliance to fight the Angels", led by the Rock Machine . The war resulted in the bombings of many establishments and murders on both sides. More than 160 people died, over 300 were injured, and over 100 bikers were incarcerated. Members of the Spanish charter were involved in
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#17328580877521656-555: A paramilitary that terrorized the Italian countryside in a campaign against socialism. In 1922, during a controversial general strike by a weakened trade unionist movement, Mussolini and his followers seized power in Rome and installed him as the Prime Minister of Italy to run the country alongside the pre-existing monarchy of King Victor Emmanuel III . Similar to Germany, Mussolini turned
1794-537: A part at many of the movement's seminal events. Members were directly connected to many of the counterculture's primary leaders, such as Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters , Allen Ginsberg , Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead , Timothy Leary , The Beatles , The Rolling Stones , Mick Farren , and Tom Wolfe . " Gonzo " journalist Hunter S. Thompson 's book about the club launched his career. From 1968 to 1969
1932-451: A preeminent position as " first among equals " because it has the largest membership of any charter the United States and because of Barger's esteem among club members internationally. The Oakland charter is responsible for making major decisions within the club and granting new charters. Any motorcycle club seeking to join to the Hells Angels must apply to the Oakland charter for membership, and
2070-529: A preventative measure to stop the U.K. and France from occupying Norway, as well as to protect German industry; Britain previously had set up naval blockades between Norway and Germany which cut off the import of iron from northern Sweden that was being shipped out of the Norwegian port of Narvik . The invasion was led by General of the Infantry Nikolaus von Falkenhorst . Germany notified the U.K. and France of
2208-417: A prospective member is first deemed a "hang-around", indicating that he is invited to some club events or to meet club members at known gathering places. If the "hang-around" is interested, he may be asked to become an "associate", a status that usually lasts a year or two. At the end of that stage, he is reclassified as "prospect", participating in some club activities, but not having voting privileges while he
2346-450: A widespread genocide of Jews in the Holocaust . In 1940, Italy invaded Greece , and in 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia and Greece . Germany then began an invasion of the Soviet Union , breaking the countries' non-aggression pact , and Germany declared war on the United States after Imperial Japan did so. The United States was led by President Franklin D. Roosevelt . In 1942,
2484-571: Is at least clear that the name was inspired by the tradition from World Wars I and II whereby the Americans gave their squadrons fierce, death-defying titles; an example of this lies in one of the three P-40 squadrons of Flying Tigers fielded in Burma and China, which was dubbed "Hell's Angels". In 1930, the Howard Hughes film Hell's Angels showcased extraordinary and dangerous feats of aviation, and it
2622-503: Is believed that World War II groups that used that name based it on the film. According to the Hells Angels' website, they are aware that there is an apostrophe missing in "Hells", but "... it is you who miss it. We don't". Some of the HAMC's early history is not clear, and accounts differ. The club's first official charter was reportedly drawn up in Fontana in 1950. Various autonomous Hells Angels charters were formed throughout California in
2760-501: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Hells Angels Motorcycle Club The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club ( HAMC ) is an international outlaw motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation . Common nicknames for
2898-465: Is evaluated for suitability as a full member. The last phase, and highest membership status, is full membership or " full-patch ". The term "full-patch" refers to the complete four-piece insignia, including the "Death Head" logo, two rockers (top rocker: "Hells Angels"; bottom rocker: state or territory claimed) and the rectangular "MC" patch below the wing of the Death's Head. Prospects are allowed to wear only
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#17328580877523036-419: Is used by the club to finance motorcycle runs and funerals, and to fund the travel of club officers to state and national meetings. Hells Angels may become exempt from paying dues after a certain period of time as a member of the club. The club is not officially a racially segregated organization. In the U.S., at least one charter allegedly requires that a candidate be a white male, and Sonny Barger said in
3174-655: The Uranverein ( uranium club) began a project to develop a bomb using nuclear fission that could destroy entire cities, the atomic bomb . This was supposed to be secret, but scientists fleeing Nazi Germany to avoid persecution made word of the program in other Western countries. In 1939, United States President Franklin D. Roosevelt was warned of the program by one of these fleeing scientists, Albert Einstein . The U.K. and France responded to Germany's aggressive expansion through appeasement , "maintain[ing] peace in Europe by making limited concessions to German demands", which
3312-612: The Allies , a name reused from the Allies who were the main opponent of the Central Powers in World War I. Under the Nazi Party, Germany developed a hierarchy which considered the pseudoscientific " Aryan race " — white ethnic Germans or those closest genetically to them — as the most superior race, and Jews and Slavs at or near the bottom. A major part of Nazi Germany's racial policy was
3450-609: The Atlantic Ocean . On 17 September, the Soviets invaded Poland , and the Poles now fought on two fronts. The next day, Polish government officials escaped into Romania, and for the next ten days, the Polish garrison in the capitol of Warsaw held on as Germans bombed the city massively, killing many civilians. On the 28th, Poland surrendered, and the next day, Germany and Soviet Union partitioned
3588-711: The Axis powers . Italy and Japan needed allies, as Italy was involved in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (the Italian invasion of the Ethiopian Empire ) from 1935 to 1937, and Japan started the Second Sino-Japanese War (Japan's expanded invasion of the Republic of China ) in 1937, the latter of which was subsumed by World War II and ended in 1945. In 1936, Italy and Germany made a pact of mutual assurance,
3726-700: The Baltic states — Lithuania, Latvia , and Estonia — were allocated to the Soviet sphere of influence in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. On 10 October 1939, the Soviets demanded the Baltic states to allow Soviet garrisons to be stationed within them. The countries felt threatened, resentfully agreeing to sign pacts of mutual assurance allowing the soldiers in. The beginning of World War II escalated tensions between Finland and
3864-821: The Bandidos , and contend that members carry out widespread violent crime and organized crime , including drug dealing, trafficking in stolen goods, extortion , and prostitution operations. In Australia, the Hells Angels are included among the "big six", with the Bandidos, the Comanchero , the Finks , the Mongols , and the Rebels . All Hells Angels charters are autonomous and operate on their own. As such, some charters refrain from any illegal activity, while others operate as crime syndicates. Members of
4002-727: The Battle of Britain , the German Luftwaffe air branch launched air assaults on the United Kingdom in preparation to launch an amphibious invasion of Britain codenamed Operation Sea Lion . The British Royal Air Force (RAF) successfully defended Britain, and that phase of bombing ended in September 1940. On September 7, the Luftwaffe started an aerial bombing campaign on Britain known as the Blitz , which instead destroyed strategic targets to hurt
4140-661: The Battle of Taranto , the British navy destroyed almost half of the Italian fleet. In March 1941, the British sent 58,000 Commonwealth troops to help Greece, despite their intense combat in North Africa. During the Battle of Britain, the U.K. asked the U.S. for help, but the American public was divided over the need to get involved in the war. In the November 1940 U.S. presidential election ,
4278-592: The Berlin Declaration , proclaiming the unconditional surrender of Germany to the four victorious powers, was signed. The Allied powers then moved to finishing the Pacific War against Japan. Once World War II ended, the Allies occupied the continent, giving some countries back to their pre-war leaders or creating new governments, before funding their nations' economic recovery. German military leaders were subject to
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4416-706: The Dutch government-in-exile . The next day, the Germans crossed the Meuse river, entering France. On 14 May 1940, Dutch Commander-in-Chief Henri Winkelman surrendered his forces east of the Scheldt river, essentially all of the Netherlands. On the 15th, French general Maurice Gamelin reported to French Premier Paul Reynard that the Germans might take Paris within days. Reynard then replaced Gamelin with retired general Maxime Weygand , who
4554-478: The Hollister incident to the effect that 99% of motorcyclists were law-abiding citizens and 1% were outlaws. The AMA has no record of such a statement and calls this story apocryphal. Most members wear a rectangular patch (again, white background with red letters and a red merrowed border) identifying their respective charter locations. Another similarly designed patch reads "Hells Angels". When applicable, members of
4692-574: The Munich Agreement , which gave Germany the Sudetenland , a Czech region near its border with Germany which had long been ethnically German. Chamberlain returned back to England and proclaimed that the U.K. had achieved " Peace for our time ". At the same time, Hungary annexed a part of southern Slovakia and Poland annexed the Tešin District of Czech Silesia . On 15 March 1939, Germany occupied
4830-574: The Nuremberg criminal trials . Western Europe became a series of capitalist governments and eastern Europe became communist , beginning the Cold War among the former Allied nations. Germany was split into the capitalist West Germany and the communist East Germany . Germany was defeated in World War I , and the 1919 Treaty of Versailles placed punitive conditions on the country after finding Germany and
4968-598: The Red & White Crew [ sv ] in Sweden, which consist of young males who do not own motorcycles. Over the years, the Hells Angels have amalgamated a number of smaller outlaw motorcycle clubs in a process known as a "patch-over". Various U.S. law enforcement agencies classify the Hells Angels as one of the "big four" motorcycle gangs , along with the Pagans , the Outlaws , and
5106-729: The Rome-Berlin axis agreement. Also that year, Japan and Germany signed the Anti-Comintern Pact to counter the perceived threat of communism from the Soviet Union led by Joseph Stalin ; Italy joined the pact in 1937. Italy and Germany signed the Pact of Steel in 1939, formalizing the Rome-Berlin axis. Other smaller powers joined the Axis throughout World War II. The Axis' main opponents would be
5244-657: The Third French Republic (the French government before Germany invaded) and later for the French resistance against the Nazis. Spain claimed neutrality during World War II, but collaborated with the Axis. They gave Germany raw materials to use in weapons production. 10,000 to 15,000 Spaniards that were previously refugees in France were deported to Germany, where about 60% were killed by
5382-421: The Wehrmacht the most powerful army in the world. Britannica writes: In accordance with the doctrines of General Heinz Guderian , the German tanks were used in massed formations in conjunction with motorized artillery to punch holes in the enemy line and to isolate segments of the enemy, which were then surrounded and captured by motorized German infantry divisions while the tanks ranged forward to repeat
5520-411: The chancellor and fuhrer of Germany in 1933. In February 1933, the German Reichstag building caught on fire in an arson attack, giving Hitler the opportunity to blame the fire on his political opponents, especially communists . In response, the government passed the Decree of the Reich President for the Protection of the People and State , which "abolished freedom of speech, assembly, privacy and
5658-417: The "prospect" and ask any questions of concern before voting. Some form of formal induction follows, wherein the "prospect" affirms his loyalty to the club and its members. The final logo patch (top "Hells Angels" rocker) is then awarded at the initiation ceremony. The step of attaining full membership can be called "being patched". Even after a member is patched in, the patches remain the property of HAMC, not
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5796-410: The 12th that the French battle had been lost. Meanwhile, French Major General Victor Fortune surrendered his 10,000 men of the British Expeditionary Forces' 51st Highland Division who were being exhausted at Saint-Valéry-en-Caux . On the 14th, the French military evacuated Paris and the Germans entered the city. Reynaud again moved the government, this time to Bordeaux. The next day, Verdun fell, and on
5934-512: The 16th, Reynaud resigned, being succeeded by Philippe Petain . On the 17th, Petain asked the Germans for an armistice. The terms were dictated with Hitler on the 21st, and on the 25th, war between France and Germany/Italy was officially over. On 22 June, France was divided into two sections under the Franco-German Armistice ; one was occupied by the German military and the other, Vichy France , had some autonomy. The Chasselay massacre occurred in France in June 1940. Starting in June 1940, in
6072-470: The 1990s and later tried uniting street gangs in Quebec after Boucher was imprisoned. In another interview with Barger in 2000, he said, "if you're a motorcycle rider and you're white, you want to join the Hells Angels. If you're black, you want to join the Dragons . That's how it is whether anyone likes it or not. We don't have no blacks and they don't have no whites." When asked whether that could change, Barger replied, "Anything can change. I can't predict
6210-453: The 19th-century James–Younger Gang : free-spirited, iconic, bound by brotherhood and loyalty. At other times, such as in the 1966 Roger Corman film The Wild Angels , they are depicted as violent and nihilistic, little more than a violent criminal gang and a scourge on society. The club became prominent within, and established its notoriety as part of, the 1960s counterculture movement in San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury District, playing
6348-419: The 24th, the Germans almost reached Dunkirk, but Hitler ordered them back, giving the British Expeditionary Forces and other Allies in Dunkirk some time to evacuate to England . They moved quickly, and the situation worsened on the 27th, when Leopold III , the king of Belgium , surrendered his army. The Allies successfully evacuated by 4 June, saving 198,000 British men and 140,000 French men. At this point,
6486-476: The Allies, while having about an equal number of tanks and military aircraft to the three of them combined. New types of military technology invented in the interwar years included radar , the dive bomber , and the aircraft carrier . The Allied countries, motivated by their victory in World War I, had generally not worked to produce significant amounts of newer weapons and military equipment afterwards, feeling confident in what they already had, while Germany did
6624-452: The Army. They quickly destroyed vital Polish infrastructure including the railways, essentially taking out the Polish Air Force before it could be used. In 1939, they surpassed the three current Allied powers in their individual numbers of infantry and armoured divisions (the Wehrmacht 's armoured divisions are also known as panzer divisions ). Germany also had more machine guns, mortars , antitank guns , and howitzers per division than
6762-429: The Axis powers under the Tripartite Pact . In 1941, Hitler and other Nazi Party leaders including Heinrich Himmler and Reinhard Heydrich agree on a program of mass extermination of Jews throughout occupied Europe, beginning the Holocaust ; this was referred to as the " Final Solution " to the " Jewish question ", or the debate over what should happen to the Jews living on the continent. On 1 March 1941, Himmler ordered
6900-404: The British war effort. On 28 October 1940, Italy began invading Greece . This surprised the Greeks, as well as Hitler, who did not want Axis troops to be taken away from the North African campaign . Mussolini was convinced that Italy would quickly win, but they were pushed back into Albania after a week. The Italians then spent the next three months in Albania defending against the Greeks. At
7038-629: The Chosen Few a Hells Angels patch, an offer that was declined. The Hells Angels became the first notarized and organized outlaw motorcycle club, and the biker clubs formed subsequently have reportedly imitated the Angels' insignias, rules, doctrines and rituals. Hells Angels charters are governed by an officer corps, consisting of a president, vice president, secretary/treasurer, sergeant-at-arms and road captain. Charters are composed of between ten and twelve members on average. Each charter has autonomy regarding member discipline and minor policy changes. In contrast to other prominent motorcycle clubs in
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#17328580877527176-419: The French front had been pushed back to the Somme and Aisne rivers. French numbers and morale weakened, and many retreated westward across France. On 9 June, the Germans crossed the Seine . On 10 June 1940, Italy declared war on France and the United Kingdom. They began attacking France on the 20th, but it made little effect. Reynaud had fled Paris to Tours , and he and his ministers were told by Weygand on
7314-420: The Hell Bent for Glory biker club. The Sacramento charter later disbanded and relocated to Richmond as a Nomads chapter in 1965. According to Ralph "Sonny" Barger , founder of the Oakland charter in 1957, other early charters of the club were founded in Gardena , and elsewhere, with the members usually unaware that there were other clubs. One of the lesser-known clubs was in North Chino /South Pomona in
7452-434: The Hells Angels and that when they come into Chosen Few territory they all get together and party. A Hells Angel member interviewed for the magazine insisted there was no racial prejudice in any of their clubs. He said, "we don't have any Negro members", but maintained that no blacks have sought membership. At one point in the 1970s, the Hells Angels sought to consolidate the various motorcycle clubs and offered every member of
7590-446: The Hells Angels filed suit against the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group alleging that its film Wild Hogs used both the name and distinctive logo of the HAMC without permission. The suit was eventually voluntarily dismissed after the Angels received assurances from Disney that the references would not appear in the film. On October 7, 2009, Fritz Clapp, attorney at law for the HAMC, contacted online games community FOCO, demanding
7728-584: The Hells Angels from scrutiny. The Hells Angels also use support clubs to establish an initial presence in an area before forming a full-fledged charter. Support clubs may be established for the sole purpose of providing assistance to the Hells Angels, or begin as independent clubs before coming under the Hells Angels' control. Such clubs may maintain relations with the Hells Angels for protection or to bolster their reputation. Members of puppet clubs attend Hells Angels events and associate with Hells Angels at gatherings. Puppet club members are also permitted to wear
7866-445: The Hells Angels of San Francisco headquarters was at 715 Ashbury (across from the Grateful Dead house at 710 Ashbury). In 1973, members from several branches of the organization protested at an Environmental Protection Agency hearing about a proposed transportation plan that included restrictions on motorcycle use and sales to get California to meet the new Clean Air Act standards. The Hells Angels' official website attributes
8004-473: The Hells Angels until 1969 when two London charters were formed. The Beatles ' George Harrison invited some members of the HAMC San Francisco to stay at Apple Records in London in 1968. According to Chris O'Dell, only two members showed up, Frisco Pete and Bill "Sweet William" Fritsch. Two people from London visited California, "prospected", and ultimately joined. Two charters were issued on July 30, 1969; one for "South London"—the reimagined charter renewing
8142-411: The Hells Angels' charters in the Western United States, and those who attend the East Coast Officers Meeting ("ECOM") to govern the charters in the Eastern United States. The dividing point of the east and west regions is Omaha, Nebraska . In states with multiple charters, weekly state meetings are also held in addition to charter meetings. Although the Hells Angels have no official "mother charter ",
8280-404: The Low Countries, the latter movement resembling the Schlieffen Plan from World War I. On the 10th, the Germans first entered the Netherlands and Belgium, and Neville Chamberlain resigned, making Winston Churchill the prime minister of the United Kingdom. Chamberlain had been criticized for the failure of the Norwegian campaign, and Churchill had become the Labour Party 's choice for leading
8418-563: The Mannerheim Line. On 6 March, Finland asked for peace terms, and on the 12th, the two countries signed the Moscow Peace Treaty , in which the Finns ceded 9% of their territory to the Soviet Union, and the Hanko Peninsula was leased to the Soviets for 30 years. The war ended the following day. In June 1940, Joseph Stalin sent another set of ultimatums to the Baltic states, demanding the allowance of an unlimited number of Soviet troops into their countries and to form governments under Soviet terms. All three countries were occupied by within
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#17328580877528556-414: The Nazi Party's Sturmabteilung (SA) paramilitary organization, believing them to have gotten too powerful. From 1919 to 1921, Italian fascist Benito Mussolini grew a base of supporters who wanted him to deal with Italy's political and economic crises, which involved civil conflict over the growth of socialism in the country. Many of Mussolini's supporters became known as blackshirts , who would form
8694-474: The Nazis. Portugal claimed neutrality as well, but they allowed the British to access Portuguese bases in the Azores . On 10 May 1940, Germany began an invasion of France and the Low Countries ( the Netherlands , Belgium , and Luxembourg ). Three German commanders, Willhelm von Leeb , Fedor von Bock, and Gerd von Rundstedt took control of an army each and invaded France through the northern end of its German border, and also by crossing into France through
8832-509: The Netherlands the first country to completely ban the Hells Angels. The presiding judge called it "a danger to public order and the rule of law". Other countries such as Germany had banned local charters, but never the entire club. On July 15, 2022, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands reaffirmed the ban, making it permanent. European theatre of World War II Asia-Pacific Mediterranean and Middle East Other campaigns Coups The European theatre of World War II
8970-406: The Soviet Union during an invasion, the two countries signed an agreement to neutrality named the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact after secret negotiations from 23 to 24 August. Hitler gave the orders to invade on 26 August, certain that the U.K. and the Soviet Union would not retaliate. However, on the 25th, the U.K. and Poland publicly signed a formal treaty of military assurance, causing Hitler to delay
9108-484: The Soviet Union invaded Finland, justifying it with a staged incident at the countries' border. Thus began the Winter War , with the Soviet objective being the conquest of Finland and the installation of a communist puppet government in Helsinki . At the start of the war, the Soviets suffered severe losses and made little progress. The Finns made use of the Molotov cocktail , a type of makeshift grenade, naming it after Soviet Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov who
9246-551: The Soviet Union. The Soviets thought the Axis would use Finland as a base to attack them, and the Finns thought the Soviets were trying to expand into Finnish territory. The Soviets then forwarded demands to Finland that were similar to the demands sent to the Baltic states; the Finns also had to destroy their defensive Mannerheim Line along the Karelian Isthmus near the border with the Soviet Union. Finland rejected these demands, instead mobilising their army and unsuccessfully attempting to gain Allied support. On 30 November 1939,
9384-554: The Soviets launched a massive counterattack in eastern Europe in Operation Bagration . Both campaigns were successful for the Allies. In 1945, Roosevelt died and was succeeded by Harry S. Truman . The Soviet Union conquered most of Eastern Europe including the German capital Berlin , as Mussolini was hanged and Hitler committed suicide . Concentration camps that were used in the Holocaust were liberated. Germany unconditionally surrendered on 8 May 1945 , although fighting continued elsewhere in Europe until 25 May . On 5 June 1945,
9522-459: The Soviets stopped further invasion of their country at the Battle of Stalingrad . Meanwhile, the Allies engaged in a mass bombing campaign of German industrial targets. In 1943, the Allied powers began an invasion of Italy , causing the end of Mussolini's regime , but Germans and Italians loyal to the Axis continued fighting. The Allies liberated Rome in 1944. In June 1944, the Allied powers began an invasion of German-occupied western Europe, as
9660-502: The Soviets' Leningrad commissar Andrei Zhdanov had started making observations of their border with Finland . Based on these observations, the Soviets began building railway spur tracks leading west toward Finnish wilderness, in particular toward Kuusamo , Suomussalmi , Kuhmo , and Lieksa . The tracks were meant for a future invasion of Finland; they could have served no other purpose than to transport troops and material, since little trade passed through these regions. Finland and
9798-487: The United Kingdom, declared war on Germany days after the invasion of Poland but did not want to actually engage in conflict. This changed after Germany invaded Norway , Denmark , France , the Netherlands , Belgium , and Luxembourg . The six countries were taken over, and Germany began two successive aerial bombardments of the United Kingdom, in the Battle of Britain and the Blitz . British Prime Minister Winston Churchill led his country's war effort. Germany also began
9936-471: The United States, the Hells Angels organization is not headed by a national or international president; it is instead governed by regional officers, who are each chosen to represent a collective of localized charters at monthly regional meetings. Regional officers are divided into two groups: those who attend the West Coast Officers Meeting ("WesCOM") to conduct the policy, actions, and affairs of
10074-529: The Vagrant"). In 1977, the Hells Angels arrived in Canada with the Popeye Moto Club patching over to form the Hells Angels' Montreal charter. During the 1980s and 1990s, there was a major expansion of the club into the rest of Canada. The Quebec Biker War was a violent turf war that began in 1994 and continued until late 2002 in Quebec. The war began when the Hells Angels in Quebec began to try to establish
10212-484: The already existing 1950 South London charter—and the other for "East London", but by 1973 the two charters came together as one, called "London". The London Angels provided security at a number of UK Underground festivals, including Phun City in 1970, organized by Mick Farren . They awarded Farren an "approval patch" in 1970 for use on his first solo album Mona , which also featured Steve Peregrin Took (credited as "Shagrat
10350-722: The applicant club must be monitored and approved of by the Oakland Hells Angels before being granted membership. In New York state, the HAMC is incorporated as the Church of Angels, a nonprofit religious organization . The HAMC acknowledges more than 100 charters in over 29 countries. New Zealand had the first charter of the Hells Angels outside the United States; the club founded a charter in Auckland in 1961, and has since taken over gangs in Whanganui . Europe did not become widely home to
10488-527: The camps' prisoners, which started as soon as they were built, expanded in 1941, which is usually when the start date of the Holocaust is given. In 1938, during the Kristallnacht pogroms , 30,000 Jews were sent to concentration camps. In 1938, German chemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassman , discovered nuclear fission , or the release of large amounts energy after the " nucleus of an atom splits into two or more smaller nuclei ". German scientists of
10626-421: The club (i.e., "once a member, always a member"). An additional patch worn by select club members consists of two Nazi-style SS lightning bolts below the words "Filthy Few". Some law enforcement officials claim that the "Filthy Few" patch is awarded only to those who have committed or are prepared to commit murder on the club's behalf. Hells Angels have denied this interpretation, however, comparing it instead to
10764-455: The club are the "H.A.", "Red & White", and "81". With a membership of over 6,000, and 592 charters in 66 countries, the HAMC is the largest "outlaw" motorcycle club in the world. Many Hells Angels members are involved in organized crime , such as drug trafficking, and engage in violent conflict with members of other outlaw motorcycle clubs and organized crime groups. Involvement in organized crime and violence has historically extended to
10902-462: The club excludes child molesters and people who have applied to become police or prison officers . Intravenous drug use is also forbidden among club members. Members in North America are required to ride U.S.-built motorcycles; Harley-Davidson bikes are most common in the club, although other American brands, such as Victory and Indian , are also permitted. After a lengthy, phased process,
11040-512: The club wear a patch denoting their position or rank within the organization. The patch is rectangular and, like those described above, displays a white background with red letters and a red merrowed border. Some examples of the titles used are President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant at Arms . This patch is usually worn above the charter location patch. Some members also wear an "AFFA" patch, which stands for "Angels Forever; Forever Angels", referring to their lifelong membership in
11178-400: The club's de facto national headquarters remained in its founding location of San Bernardino, California until club founder Otto Friedli was imprisoned in 1958. The club's unofficial headquarters was then relocated to Oakland, California by Sonny Barger , who succeeded Friedli as the Hells Angels' de facto national president. The Oakland charter has traditionally been able to maintain
11316-649: The company's parent company, PPR, could not be reached for comment. The company settled the case with the Hells Angels after agreeing to remove all of the merchandise featuring the logo from sale on their website, stores and concessions and recalling any goods that had already been sold and destroying them. In fall 2012 in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California , Hells Angels sued Toys "R" Us for trademark infringement , unfair competition , and dilution in relation to
11454-558: The concept of lebensraum , or "living space": increasing the amount of land in Europe where members of the Aryan race could live. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum writes: The Nazis also adopted the social Darwinist take on Darwinian evolutionary theory regarding the “ survival of the fittest .” For the Nazis, survival of a race depended upon its ability to reproduce and multiply, its accumulation of land to support and feed that expanding population, and its vigilance in maintaining
11592-710: The construction of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. At the same time, Bulgaria joined the Tripartite Pact, and two days later, Germany began sealing off a Jewish ghetto in Krakow, Poland . Aside from concentration camps, the Final Solution was also enacted with Einsatzgruppen , mobile killing units. Croatia joined the Tripartite Pact on 15 June. On 6 April 1941, Germany, aided by Bulgarian and Hungarian forces, started invading Yugoslavia and Greece . This
11730-438: The country into a one-party fascist state which outlawed free speech, the free press, trade unions, and targeted socialists, Catholics, and liberals with a network of secret police and spies. Italy became sympathetic to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. Italy, Germany, and Imperial Japan — led by Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Hideki Tojo — increasingly allied with each other, and during World War II they would be known as
11868-449: The country needed to expand in order for the pseudoscientific " Aryan race " to survive. They were aided by Italy, another fascist state which was led by Benito Mussolini . World War II started with Germany 's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, and the Soviet Union, led by Joseph Stalin , joined the invasion later that month. They partitioned Poland so the country was split up among the two nations. Poland's allies, France and
12006-450: The county between them in accordance with a secret provision of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. The provision originally stated the western third of Poland would be given to the Germans, and the eastern two thirds to the Soviets, while Lithuania would be put in the German sphere of influence; now, the two countries agreed to let Lithuania fall under the Soviet sphere of influence if more of Poland
12144-551: The decade following the club's foundation, by nomadic members who moved from one city to another. The San Francisco ("Frisco") charter was reportedly founded by former members of the Market Street Commandos in 1954. A North Sacramento charter was established in 1956, followed by another charter in Sacramento the following year, which was formed by two brothers, James "Mother" Miles and Pat Miles, who were former members of
12282-527: The democratically elected Spanish government in the Spanish Civil War . Hitler sided with Franco, giving aid to the insurgents. In 1939, Franco won the war, becoming the dictator of Spain. Before that, though, in early 1939, many Spaniards crossed the border into France, where they were given a choice by the French government whether to return to Spain (and be punished by Franco), or join the French military; during World War II, many Spanish soldiers fought for
12420-532: The eastern part of Slovakia, the Subcarpathian Rus , was annexed by Hungary. The latter two annexations formally ended the country of Czechoslovakia, which had existed since 1918. By early 1939, Hitler had plans of invading Poland , despite Poland having assurances from the U.K. and France that those countries would intervene if Poland was attacked. Germany revoked its non-aggression pact with Poland on 28 April. To ensure Germany would not face resistance from
12558-442: The evening of 9 April 1940, and he became the Prime Minister of Norway under Germany's administration during the war. Norway's army agreed to cooperate with Germany, and began attacking the Allies. The U.K. tried to defend Norway with ground, air, and sea presence, but it was difficult. On 27 April, the British ground soldiers began to retreat. On 28 May, the British recaptured Narvik, but the Axis took it again on 9 June. The invasion
12696-493: The film on video, over infringements on the club's registered trademarks. The suit was settled out of court. According to The Globe and Mail , the Hells Angels considered seeking an injunction to block the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation from broadcasting the miniseries The Last Chapter , because of how closely the biker gang at the center of the series resembled the Hells Angels. In March 2007
12834-553: The founders who had served in the "Hell's Angels" squadron of the Flying Tigers in China during World War II. In a letter written to The Guinness Book of World Records by a member on the Hells Angels' behalf, it is instead stated that the club's name was taken from the "Hell's Angels" squadron of the 303rd Bombardment Group , which was active in the European theater of World War II. It
12972-544: The future." Tobie Levingston, who formed the black motorcycle club East Bay Dragons MC, wrote in his book that he and Barger have a long-lasting friendship and that the Hells Angels and Dragons have a mutual friendship and hang out and ride together. In a 1966 Ebony article about motorcycle rebels in the African-American community, the Chosen Few Motorcycle Club said that they see no racial animosity in
13110-507: The incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected to his third term in office. America was becoming more certain of the need to send aid to the U.K.; for example, Roosevelt's main opponent in the election, Wendell Wilkie of the Republican Party , differed from his party's previous sentiment by agreeing to give aid. In December 1940, president-elect Roosevelt gave a speech in which he explained his " Arsenal of democracy " approach to
13248-458: The invasion in a memorandum claiming that the Allies were trying to use Scandinavia as a base from which to attack Germany from the north, and that Scandinavia needed to be protected from Allied "aggression". Norwegian resistance quickly faltered, and Norwegian government heads fled for the countryside. Vidkun Quisling , of the Nasjonal Samling fascist party, proclaimed a new government on
13386-440: The invasion, and had overwhelming military superiority to Poland's 1 million soldiers. The invasion was led by generals Fedor von Bock , Franz Halder , Georg von Küchler , Gerd von Rundstedt , Günther von Kluge , Johannes Blaskowitz , Walther von Brauchitsch , Walther von Reichenau , and Wilhelm List . Poland fought on a large front, both on the German border and with their flanks in the German territory of East Prussia in
13524-617: The island of Crete . On 20 May, 1941, Germany began an invasion of Crete . They launched paratrooper assaults on multiple Cretan cities, overwhelming the Allies, who evacuated the island. Germany fought off guerilla resistance in Yugoslavia and Greece for the rest of the war. In late 1941, the Brits started aiding the Chetnik guerillas, led by Dragoljub Mihailovic . Eventually, the Chetniks fought in
13662-475: The jacquard box dress and knuckle duster ring that bear the symbol, which has been used since at least 1948 and is protected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A handbag and scarf were also named in the lawsuit. The lawyer representing Hells Angels claimed: "This isn't just about money, it's about membership. If you've got one of these rings on, a member might get really upset that you're an impostor." Saks refused to comment, Zappos had no immediate comment and
13800-542: The late 1960s. Barger has been credited with helping to unify these various disparate charters under common club bylaws. Other sources claim that the San Francisco Hells Angels were organized in 1953 by Rocky Graves, a Hells Angel member from San Bernardino ("Berdoo"), implying that the "Frisco" Hells Angels were very much aware of their forebears. The "Frisco" Hells Angels were reorganized in 1955 with 13 charter members, Frank Sadilek serving as president, and
13938-403: The lower end of their racial hierarchy, the Nazi Party's political enemies (like socialists , social democrats , and communists), Poles, Romani people , Jehovah's Witnesses , Freemasons , disabled people, and LGBTQ people. They were brought from many places across lower continental Europe to the camps using the extensive railway network which crossed the continent. The mass killing of
14076-419: The member. On leaving the Hells Angels or being ejected, a member must return his patches to the club. Members must pay dues, and are required to attend mandatory club meetings and motorcycle runs. Charter meetings, known as "church", are typically held at clubhouses or a member's residence. In 1978, members were required to pay $ 20 per month to the local charter, and $ 10 per month to the state charter. The money
14214-600: The nation — even if they disliked his anti-socialist beliefs — because of his willingness to fight Germany. A coalition government was formed, led by a war cabinet of Churchill, Chamberlain, the conservative Lord Halifax , and the Labour members Clement Attlee and Arthur Greenwood . Churchill also became the Minister of Defence . On 12 May, the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina fled with her ministers to England, where she established
14352-593: The newer Hurricane fighter and was producing the Spitfire , which began combat in 1940. France's military aircraft, however, were outdated, and they were trying to buy newer models from the United States . The U.K. did not have any armoured divisions, and France's tanks were spread thin across its infantry divisions. The Allies in 1939 were "together superior in industrial resources, population, and military manpower", but German weapons, equipment, training and logistics made
14490-484: The north and German-occupied Slovakia in the south. Poland did not move their troops eastward to more defensive positions because their western half had their most vital industrial regions. The Wehrmacht used " Blitzkrieg attacks", surprise attacks with "massive, concentrated forces of fast-moving [armoured] units supported by overwhelming air power". Their air force, the Luftwaffe , specifically operated as support for
14628-468: The official "death's head" insignia design to Frank Sadilek, past president of the San Francisco charter. The colors and shape of the early-style jacket emblem (before 1953) were copied from the insignias of the 85th Fighter Squadron and the 552nd Medium Bomber Squadron . The Hells Angels have a system of patches similar to military medals. The specific meaning of each patch is not publicly known, but
14766-456: The opposite since remilitarizing in 1935. Poland did not have "tanks, armoured personnel carriers , and antitank and antiaircraft guns ", and believed horsed cavalry could take on German mechanized forces . The U.K. and France did make up for Poland's lack of air strength; Poland only had fighters and bombers , and the other Allies had those plus aircraft meant for either reconnaissance , coastal defense, or naval aviation. The U.K. had ready
14904-458: The organization have continuously asserted that they are only a group of motorcycle enthusiasts who have joined to ride motorcycles together, to organize social events such as group road trips, fundraisers, parties, and motorcycle rallies, and that any crimes are the responsibility of the people who carried them out, not the club as a whole. In May 2019, a court in Utrecht issued a verdict that made
15042-698: The organization's most senior leadership. Many police and international intelligence agencies, including the United States Department of Justice , the Criminal Intelligence Service Canada , the Australian Federal Police , and Europol , consider the club an organized crime syndicate. The Hells Angels originated on March 17, 1948, in Fontana, California , when several small motorcycle clubs agreed to merge. Otto Friedli,
15180-593: The other Central Powers guilty for starting the war . These punishments included the loss of Alsace-Lorraine , the temporary loss of the Saarland , military limitations, and reparation payments to the Allied powers . The Rhineland region of Germany was also made a demilitarized zone . Germany would also join the League of Nations , an international governmental body devoted to peacekeeping. Historians are divided on whether or not
15318-401: The patches identify each biker's specific or significant actions or beliefs. The official colors of the Hells Angels are red lettering displayed on a white background—hence the club's nickname "The Red and White". The patches are worn on leather or denim jackets and vests. Red and white are also used to display the number 81 on many patches, as in "Support 81", "Route 81". The 8 and 1 stand for
15456-559: The press; legalized phone tapping and interception of correspondence; and suspended the autonomy of federated states, like Bavaria ". Communist politicians were arrested, leaving the Nazi Party free to do what they wanted. Hitler made Germany an absolute dictatorship, and he withdrew from the League of Nations. In 1934, during the Night of the Long Knives , Hitler ordered the purge of leaders within
15594-407: The process: deep drives into enemy territory by panzer divisions were thus followed by mechanized infantry and foot soldiers. These tactics were supported by dive bombers that attacked and disrupted the enemy’s supply and communications lines and spread panic and confusion in its rear, thus further paralyzing its defensive capabilities. The only form of combat in which Germany had inferior capability
15732-526: The procurement of the registrations. The case settled and the lawsuit was dismissed with prejudice. As of December 2013 , the Hells Angels sells its branded merchandise at a retail store in Toronto, Ontario. In 2019, the Hells Angels sued Redbubble in the Federal Court of Australia for infringing on its trademark, launching another suit in 2021 after providing evidence that Redbubble had continued to breach
15870-433: The purity of its gene pool , thus preserving the unique “racial” characteristics with which “nature” had equipped it for success in the struggle to survive. Since each “race” sought to expand, and since the space on the earth was finite, the struggle for survival resulted “naturally” in violent conquest and military confrontation. Hence, war—even constant war —was a part of nature, a part of the human condition . This formed
16008-573: The remaining western half of Czechoslovakia, the Czech provinces of Bohemia and Moravia . Later that month, part of Slovakia became the independent fascist and Catholic state of the Slovak Republic under dictator and Catholic priest Jozef Tiso . The republic was controlled by the Slovak People's Party , who made the country a client state of Germany and allowed Germany to occupy it. At the same time,
16146-696: The removal of all membership marks and club trademarks from the Los Santos Roleplay Forum, a messageboard for the San Andreas Multiplayer modification for Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas . While members of the community were skeptical at first, Clapp posted a tweet confirming his identity. In October 2010 the Hells Angels filed a lawsuit against Alexander McQueen for "misusing its trademark winged death heads symbol" in several items from its Autumn/Winter 2010 collection. The lawsuit also aimed at Saks Fifth Avenue and Zappos.com , which stock
16284-524: The respective positions in the alphabet of H and A . Friends and supporters of the club use these in deference to club rules, which purport to restrict the wearing of Hells Angels imagery to club members. The diamond-shaped one-percenter patch is also used, displaying "1%" in red on a white background with a red merrowed border. The term "one-percenter" is said to be a response to the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) comment on
16422-403: The sale of yo-yos manufactured by Yomega Corporation, a co-defendant, which allegedly bear the "Death Head" logo. In its complaint, Hells Angels asserted that the mark on the yo-yos would likely lead people to mistakenly believe that the toys originate with Hells Angels. Yomega filed counterclaims against Hells Angels for cancellation of the "Death Head" registrations on grounds of alleged fraud in
16560-405: The same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title AFFA . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=AFFA&oldid=1202860605 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
16698-450: The smaller, original logo. The Oakland charter, at the time headed by Barger, used a larger version of the "Death's Head" patch nicknamed the "Barger Larger", which was first used in 1959. It later became the club standard. The first charter to open outside California was established in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1961. The Hells Angels are often depicted in semi-mythical romantic fashion like
16836-404: The trademark. The 2019 case concluded with the Hells Angels being awarded $ 5,000 in damages. In July 2022, in the second ruling against Redbubble, the company was ordered to pay the club more than $ 78,000. To become a Hells Angels "prospect", candidates must have a valid driver's license, a motorcycle over 750 cc (46 cu in), and "the right combination of personal qualities." It is said
16974-437: The treaty was harsh or actually "very restrained" compared to other peace treaties at the time. Many Germans back then blamed their country's post-war economic collapse on the treaty's conditions and these resentments contributed to the political instability, which made it possible for Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party to come to power. This was worsened by the worldwide Great Depression , which began in 1929. Hitler became
17112-632: The violation of their sovereignty, but capitulated to the U.K., who occupied the country . The U.K. promised to compensate the Icelandic population and leave at the end of the war. Canadian troops arrived in Iceland in June 1940 and the Americans arrived a year later; foreign troops continued staying in Iceland after the war, as the country became a NATO member. Sweden was able to remain neutral . In 1936, insurgents led by fascist Francisco Franco went to war with
17250-491: The war and justifying providing the U.K. with aid. In March 1941, the U.S. Congress passed the Lend-Lease Act , which allowed the U.S. to send large amounts of aid: it ranged from "tanks, aircraft, ships, weapons and road building supplies to clothing, chemicals and food." The program soon expanding to giving aid to the Soviet Union, China, and allied France. From 20 to 24 November 1940, Hungary, Romania, and Slovakia joined
17388-479: The war for a few days. On 31 August, he gave the order to invade the next day. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland , falsely claiming that Poland was trying to encircle and partition Germany and that ethnic Germans were being persecuted there. Germany also staged an attack on one of their own radio stations and blamed it on the Poles. 1.5 million soldiers of the German military, the Wehrmacht , took part in
17526-412: The wearer has fought law enforcement on arrest." There is no common convention as to where the patches are placed on members' jackets/vests. "Angels Forever, Forever Angels" is also the club's traditional motto . Other Hells Angels slogans include "When we do right, nobody remembers. When we do wrong, nobody forgets"; "Three can keep a secret if two are dead"; and "When in doubt, knock 'em out", which
17664-400: Was an intense conflict that led to at least 39 million deaths and a dramatic change in the balance of power in the continent. Throughout the mid-to-late 1930s, Adolf Hitler , the leader of fascist Nazi Germany, expanded German territory by annexing all of Austria and the Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia in 1938. This was motivated in part by Germany's racial policy that believed
17802-455: Was at sea, so they did not attack the Allies' navies with massed fleets, but instead through "the individual operation of German pocket battleships and commerce raiders ". France and the U.K. declared war on Germany on 3 September, but they did not actually engage in warfare with Germany during the invasion of Poland. Meanwhile, the Battle of the Atlantic began over control of sea routes in
17940-488: Was blamed for the war. The Finns, who had little outside help, became worn down in a war of attrition . The Soviets reduced their strategic objectives in late January 1940 and put an end to the puppet Finnish communist government, informing the opposing Finnish government that they were willing to negotiate peace. After the Soviets reorganized and adopted different tactics, they renewed their offensive in February and breached
18078-500: Was coined by New York City charter member Vincent "Big Vinny" Girolamo. The Hells Angels incorporated in 1966, trademarking the club's name and four symbols. The club filed a trademark infringement lawsuit for the first time on October 26, 1989, when the Hells Angels lodged a federal lawsuit in Los Angeles against Concorde-New Horizons , which produced the film Nam Angels , and against Media Home Entertainment , which distributed
18216-578: Was given to Germany. The last Polish unit surrendered on 6 October. The invasion ended with 14,000 Germans dead or missing and 66,000 to 70,000 Poles dead. 700,000 Poles were taken prisoner and 80,000 escaped into neutral countries. From October 1939 to March 1940, the European theatre was in a phase known as the Phoney War , when no major land operations were made by the Allied powers. As early as August 1935,
18354-645: Was granted official status in 1985 shortly after its only black member, John Mikkelsen, had died in police custody. Another notable is Gregory Woolley , a high-ranking member of the Rockers MC in Montreal who was the protégé and bodyguard of Hells Angel boss Maurice Boucher (who spent five years in a notoriously white-supremacist motorcycle gang, the SS). Woolley became an associate of the Hells Angels Montreal charter in
18492-658: Was in Syria. Reynard arrived from Syria on the 19th, leaving the French high command without a top general for days while the Germans pushed towards Paris. Weygand arrived and replaced 12 generals, notably employing general Charles de Gaulle . The Germans broke through the French line on the 15th and marched swiftly into undefended land. They reached the English Channel by the 20th, and days later, moved north towards Calais and Dunkirk . The Belgians became encircled in Flanders . On
18630-601: Was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II , taking place from September 1939 to May 1945. The Allied powers (including the United Kingdom , the United States , and the Soviet Union ) fought the Axis powers (including Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy ) on both sides of the continent in the Western and Eastern fronts. There was also conflict in the Scandinavian , Mediterranean and Balkan regions. It
18768-512: Was over by 10 June 1940. The British occupied the Faroe Islands in response to Germany's gains. Winston Churchill, meanwhile, tried to convince Iceland to join the Allies, but they wanted to stay neutral. Ultimately, the U.K. decided to invade, as the country was strategically important as a base to control the North Atlantic. The invasion began on 10 May 1940. The government disliked
18906-731: Was seen as reasonable by the British and French populaces because the Treaty of Versailles was thought of as indeed too restrictive, and they did not want to go to war with Germany. In 1935, Germany revoked the Treaty of Versailles' limitations on its military, and remilitizared the Rhineland in 1936. On 13 March 1938, Germany annexed Austria in the Anschluss . Hitler then threatened to go to war with Czechoslovakia , and in response, on 30 September 1938, Hitler, Mussolini, U.K. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain , and French premiere Edouard Daladier signed
19044-655: Was to help the Italian invasion of Greece, overthrow the pro-Allied Yugoslavia government, secure the German flank during the planned invasion of Russia, protect German oil in Romania from Allied air attacks, and create a base to attack British communication lines with the east. Major Yugoslavian cities, including Belgrade , were bombed. On 17 April, Yugoslavia capitulated, as Germany moved into northern Greece. Greek cities were subject to Blitzkrieg attacks; despite intense resistance, Athens fell on 27 April. 2,500 Germans were killed. 11,000 Allied men were captured, and 45,000 evacuated to
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