MARE NOSTRUM Mediterranean Command, 1940-1942 Release Date: December 28, 1952 ... (Episode #8) Mare Norsrum means "Our Sea" in Latin. The story of this episode is how the Axis powers tried to take control of Greece, the Mediterranean, North Africa and the Suez Canal. They failed on the last three. Hitler pressured the Italian Navy to take more initiative and attack the Royal Navy of Great Britain. Without any aircraft carriers, the Italians did not fare well, so control of the Mediterranean remained with the Allies. In North Africa, the German Africa Corps led by Irwin Rommel defeated the British at Tobruk, but ultimately failed on the whole thanks to the navies of the United States and Great Britain for keeping the supply lines open. In the end, Rommel was forced out of Africa all together. The Suez Canal remained always in Allied control.