World War II began when the German army of Adolf Hitler invaded Poland through the use of the infamous blitzkrieg technique. By June 1940, France formally surrendered to Nazi Germany; making Germany the strongest nation in Continental Europe. Benito Mussolini, the dictator of Fascist Italy had signed a military alliance with Germany at the time. He looked at this opportunity to transform the Mediterranean Sea into an "Italian Lake." Axis forces managed to deliver their invading troops to Egypt by September 1940. However, the Italian army was instantly defeated by the British counterattackers who had a duty to protect Egypt. Germany was determined to help Italy win their conflict while preparing for their fateful campaign in the Soviet Union at the same time.