Mare Nostrum
When World War II started, Italy already controlled the north and south shores of the middle part of the Mediterranean. The western part was controlled by Spain and France. The eastern part by Greece, Turkey and the British Empire. In 1940 the fall of France removed the main threat from the west. At the same time Italy invaded Greece and Egypt and attacked the island of Malta. Mussolini talked about making the Mediterranean "an Italian lake". The Axis (Italy and Germany together) defeated Greece, but could not defeat the British in Egypt. For the next three years they fought many battles there (called the Western Desert Campaign). The British and Italian navies also fought at sea (this is called the Battle of the Mediterranean). By 1943 the Axis in North Africa had been beaten and in September 1943 Italy was invaded and forced to surrender.