The struggle for control in this vital theater of World War II gave the conflict some of its most compelling and powerful stories. The great battle between the Italian Navy and Britain's vastly outnumbered Royal Navy dominated the seas during the early years of the war as both sides sought to support the land campaigns in Egypt and East Africa. At the same time, Britain struggled to maintain its toehold on Malta to ensure that the French fleet did not fall into the hands of the Axis powers.

These two episodes explore the story of the war in Greece, which was invaded by the Italians in 1940, the Germans in 1941 and finally by the British in 1944. It looks at the constant fight against the German Luftwaffe, which arrived in the Mediterranean in 1941 and did terrible damage to Allied shipping, resulting in the loss of bases in North Africa.

The Fight for the Mediterranean also delves into the fascinating story of "Operation Mercury," the German invasion of Crete, the bloody battle which cost more than 10,000 lives and of the fight for the island of Sicily in 1943, which saw the miraculous evacuation of some 100,000 Axis troops.

Thursdays, 9/7-14 from 10-11 p.m. ET

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