In September 1940, Germany, Italy, and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact in Berlin, formalizing the Axis alliance and dividing spheres of influence. The agreement escalated World War II's global scope. It represented aggressive imperialism, inspiring wartime poetry that grappled with fascism, alliance politics, resistance, and the worldwide struggle for freedom.

The signing of the Tripartite Pact in 1940 created a global axis of conflict that influenced poetic responses worldwide. Poets such as Louis MacNeice and Auden addressed the themes of totalitarianism and resistance, using their art to comment on the moral dilemmas faced by individuals in wartime.