Final answer:
The correct Axis nation during World War II among the given options is c. Japan, as it was one of the major Axis powers alongside Germany and Italy.
Step-by-step explanation:
During World War II, the Axis nations included Germany, Italy, and Japan. Therefore, the correct answer to the question 'During World War II, which of the following was an Axis nation?' is c. Japan.
Japan played a significant role as an Axis power, characterized by its military expansion in East Asia and the Pacific. Its actions during the conflict, especially the attack on Pearl Harbor, brought the United States into the war. Post-war, the downfall of Japan as an Axis power led to the liberation of the nations it had conquered and played a part in reshaping geopolitics in the Pacific region. This included influencing the road to independence for various colonized nations, including territories like the Philippines and the re-establishment of China as a significant country in world affairs.