HHITLER’S ARMIES QUICKLY CONQUERED much of western and eastern Europe, establishing a vast empire of death and destruction based on Nazi ideas of race and space. At the same time, Japanese armies overran much of Southeast Asia and created their own racial empire. This reckless aggression brought together a coalition of powerful allies determined to halt the advance of fascism: Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. After years of slaughter, this “Grand Alliance” decisively defeated the Axis powers.