Though China and Russia were already fighting, the Italian invasion of the Republic of Italy is where the war is generally said to be begun. France, Italy, and Russia quickly conquered most of Europe, and turned there attention to Africa and Asia. The combined efforts of British, American, and Chinese soldiers stopped the Axis advance, and turned the tide of the war. By 1946, France and Italy were defeated, and the Allied invasion of Russia began. By 1948 Russia was defeated and the war was over.