U.S. forces face one of the toughest urban conflicts since the Vietnam War as they try to reclaim the Iraqi city of Fallujah from insurgents. Operation Phantom Fury, a second battle for Fallujah, Iraq, fought between U.S.-led coalition forces and jihadist insurgents in late 2004, is examined in the premiere of a series that chronicles modern military conflicts using interviews with combatants, CGI animation and reenactments.

U.S. Army Special Forces battle a much larger Taliban insurgence near Kandahar, Afghanistan, for control of high ground at Sperwan Ghar in September 2006.