The Allies agreed upon a strategy of "unconditional surrender" as the means to win World War II. This meant that the Axis powers of Germany, Japan, and Italy would have to completely capitulate and surrender without any conditions or negotiations. The Allies believed that only through unconditional surrender could they ensure the complete defeat of the Axis powers and prevent them from returning to power in the future. This strategy was agreed upon at the Casablanca Conference in January 1943 and was reaffirmed at subsequent conferences throughout the war.
