Germany–Japan relations Kaiserliche Marine in and around Chinese waters. Japan, eager to reduce the presence of European colonial powers in South-East Asia, especially on China's coast, sent Germany an ultimatum on 14 August 1914, which was left unanswered. Japan then formally declared war on the German Empire on 23 August 1914 thereby entering the First World War as an ally of Britain, France and the Russian Empire to seize the German-held Caroline, Marshall, and Mariana Islands in the Pacific. The only major battle that took place between Japan and Germany was the siege of the German-controlled Chinese port of Tsingtao in Kiautschou
Military equipment of Sweden during World War II full payload. Number of bombers pre-war: 88 Number of bombers in 1939: 116 Number of bombers in 1940: 276 Number of bombers in 1941: 346 Number of bombers in 1942: 534 Number of bombers in 1943: 743 Number of bombers in 1944: 775 Number of bombers in 1945: 879 Military equipment of Sweden during World War II Sweden was formally a non-belligerent nation throughout World War II, but saw considerable military build-up as the level of threat from the Soviet Union or Nazi Germany increased. Between 10,000 and 20,000 Swedes fought as volunteers abroad, a majority of them in service