In 1938 , at the outbreak of World War II , which had a larger population , the Western Allies ( United Kingdom , France , Poland and British Dominions ) or the European Axis ( Germany and Italy )
Hitler called for irredentist German claims to be reclaimed along with the creation of German " lebensraum " ( " living space " ) in Eastern Europe , including territories held by the Soviet Union , that would be colonized by Germans .