Less than a month after Italy threw her hat into the Axis ring, declaring war on Britain and France, the Italians faced the bitter taste of defeat. During the Battle of Taranto, the Regia Marina was eviscerated by an unprecedented aerial assault, leaving three battleships crippled and three other warships badly mauled.

Mussolini, seething and hungry for revenge, vowed to show the British who ruled the Mediterranean. He made a bold decision: deploy two of Italy’s most capable and modern battleships, Vittorio Veneto and Giulio Cesare, to hunt down the British aircraft carriers, HMS Ark Royal and Argus, along with their cruiser escorts.

However, British Intelligence had their finger on the pulse, detecting the Italian strike. The British carriers were ordered to retreat, and the Italian navy, buoyed by a newfound sense of pride, believed they were finally gaining ground in the Mediterranean. On November 27, another British convoy made a dash for Malta, and the Italian capital ships were dispatched again to intercept.

This time, though, the Royal Navy was ready. They knew exactly what was coming, and the Italians were steaming headlong into a carefully laid trap. The stage was set for the blistering Battle of Cape Spartivento.

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