What did the Allies mean by a Europe-first strategy?

The "Europe-first" strategy, also known as "Germany-first," was a foundational policy adopted by the Allied powers during World War II. It prioritized the defeat of Nazi Germany in the European theater before focusing the full weight of Allied military resources on the defeat of Japan in the Pacific.12

This strategic decision was driven by the assessment that Germany posed the most immediate and dangerous threat to global security, possessing the industrial and military capacity to potentially dominate the European continent and beyond. While the United States was simultaneously engaged in a massive war effort against Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor, it committed a significant portion of its industrial output and military forces to the European theater to ensure the collapse of the Axis powers there first.12

This approach required careful coordination between the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union, even as they managed the complexities of their alliance and differing postwar objectives. By focusing on the European front, the Allies aimed to prevent Germany from consolidating its control over Europe and to eventually secure an unconditional surrender.321