© Getty Images

How could the Axis powers have won World War II? -

This is a key question, if one is to imagine such a scenario. How would the Axis powers triumph over the Allies? To begin with, Nazi Germany, with the help of the Kingdom of Italy, would have had to successfully occupy continental Europe, including the former Soviet Union.

© Getty Images

How could the Axis powers have won World War II? -

Axis powers would also have had to gain control over territories in Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, as well as Canada and the US state of Alaska.

© Getty Images

How could the Axis powers have won World War II? -

The Empire of Japan would then control Asia and the Pacific. The United States and the United Kingdom would have no option but to surrender. This would be unlikely, but more on that later.

© Getty Images

Hitler’s grand plan -

Victory at the conclusion of WWII would only get Adolf Hitler started on his grand plan for world domination. The Nazis did think big, and they would likely see this as one of many victories to come. Yes, this means that more World Wars would probably break out as Germany tried to expand the Reich.

© Getty Images

New countries of the Third Reich -

Following the victory, the Nazis would proceed with the annexation of the countries they deemed Aryan enough. Nordic countries such as Norway (pictured), Denmark, Sweden, and Finland would become part of the empire.

© Getty Images

New countries of the Third Reich -

Switzerland would also be annexed by the Reich, as would France, Great Britain, and Ireland.

© Getty Images

What would have happened to the Soviet Union? -

The General Government of Poland (head Hans Frank, pictured) would likely have extended its territory to include a great part of the former Soviet Union, with the most eastern part of it being controlled by the Japanese.

© Getty Images

Kingdom of Italy -

Benito Mussolini would have likely expanded the Kingdom of Italy to cover a great part of the southern European territory that once belonged to the Roman Empire. Spain and Portugal would likely become satellite states, under Italy’s control.

© Getty Images

Africa -

The Nazis would reclaim their former colonies in Africa and seize the nations that were under the control of defeated European countries.

© Getty Images

China -

While many Eastern nations would be more easily dominated, Imperial Japan would have to work hard to invade China.

© Getty Images

The United States -

Axis powers would have to work together to dominate or destroy the United States. Japan, in particular, would play a crucial role from the Pacific side, while Germany and Italy would take on the other fronts.

© Getty Images

The Japanese problem -

Hitler saw Imperial Japan as a strategic ally, but no more than that. The Nazis considered the Japanese to be “Honorary Aryans,” but this was more of a political propaganda move.

© Getty Images

The Japanese problem -

The alliance would likely come to an end once all the heavy lifting had been done, particularly with China and the US. The circumstantial alliance would likely have come to an end, as the Japanese were still considered an inferior race in the eyes of the Nazis.

© Getty Images

What would have happened to the people? -

A racial cleansing would occur, with millions facing discrimination, slavery, and death. Southern European citizens and others with a darker skin complexion and shorter stature that didn’t meet Aryan standards,would be deemed inferior, and therefore discriminated against.

© Getty Images

What would have happened to the people? -

Untermensch, the term used by the Nazis to refer to non-Aryan inferior peoples, would suffer the most. There would likely be an ethnic cleansing of the world's Jews, Roma, and Slavs, to name a few. The Holocaust would be even worse.

© Getty Images

What would have happened to the people? -

Those who were physically and mentally disabled would also likely be killed off (pictured is a poster of the T-4 Euthanasia Program). As would any person who was not heterosexual, or anyone opposing the regime.

© Public Domain

What would have happened to the people? -

Africans and non-Japanese Asians would either be killed or forced into slavery. As would those from Central and South America.

© Getty Images

Religious persecution -

The world would likely be deprived of religion. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party were known for their hostility towards religion. Religion would likely have no place in the Third Reich.

© Getty Images

Would anything good come out of the Third Reich? -

While the world would be a much worse place if the Axis powers had won WWII, arguably some positive things would inevitably occur.

© Getty Images

Would anything good come out of the Third Reich? -

The regime invested heavily in technology and science. We would likely see advances on numerous fronts, including mechanics and aeronautics. In fact, many Nazi scientists ended up working for the US government after the war.

© Getty Images

Rewriting history -

The hypothetical Axis victory has been the subject of many books, namely the 1962 novel ‘The Man in the High Castle’ (which was adapted into a TV show in 2015, pictured), ‘SS-GB’ (1978), and ‘Fatherland’ (1992).

© NL Beeld

Rewriting history -

Not only has the topic been approached by literary works, but it has also been explored in other mediums, including film, TV, comics, and video games.

© Shutterstock

Why an Axis victory would be unlikely -

Now it’s time for a (much welcomed) reality check. The truth is that it would have been very unlikely that Axis powers would have won the war. Now, let’s find out why.

© Getty Images

The British were really strong -

To begin with, the British had one of the greatest and largest armies in the world (let’s not forget all the nations of the British Empire and the Commonwealth). They had multiple strategic bases spread across the world, and were armed with a massive supply of heavy artillery.

© Getty Images

And so were the Soviets -

The Red Army dominated the Eastern Front and contained the spread of the Axis powers. They were right on the Nazis’ doorstep and pressed hard on them. Hitler had a powerful and huge transcontinental country fighting against him.

© Getty Images

The United States -

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, the US got involved in the war. Unfortunately for Hitler, the Americans were strong, and they had lots of resources.

© Getty Images

The United States -

Geographically speaking, the US was also lucky to be away from all the action in Europe, so they could keep on manufacturing and supplying Allies with weapons, tanks, aircraft, ships—you name it.

© Getty Images

Other nations -

China, France, and many other Allied combatant nations (including resistance troops in occupied territories) surely kept Hitler on his toes.

© Getty Images

Defeat was imminent -

In reality, the Nazis were trying to bite off more than they could chew—it was just a matter of time until the Axis powers were defeated.

© Getty Images

Worst-case scenario -

And in the event that the Axis powers miraculously declared victory, it would only last until the US deployed their Convair B-36 “Peacemaker,” the first intercontinental bomber, which could easily strike Berlin.

© Getty Images

Worst-case scenario -

And if that wasn’t enough, by 1948 both the US and the USSR had a massive arsenal of atomic bombs. Surely enough to make Axis powers surrender.

Sources: (HistoryNet) (ViaTravelers) (Medium)

See also: Lesser-known facts about World War II

© Getty Images