This was also the final straw that lead to the collapse of the Greek military junta after it staged a coup d’etat of Cyprus but failed to defend it against the Turkish invasion.
**English Journalist David Leigh:**
“After the invasion of Cyprus, hundreds of Turkish Cypriots were taken hostage by the national guards, Turkish women were r*ped, children were killed in the streets, and Turkish neighborhoods in Limassol were completely burned down.”
**An Observation by a German Tourist to Germany’s Voice:**
“The Greeks’ brutality is beyond human comprehension… In the villages around Famagusta, the Greek national guards exhibited unparalleled examples of savagery. They entered Turkish homes; mercilessly shot women and children; slit the throats of many Turks; gathered Turkish women and r*ped them…”
**Findings of Observer James Rayner:**
“The Greek Cypriots, in the 20th century, exhibited barbaric behavior by not only brutally killing innocent Turkish Cypriots in the massacres they initiated but also filling the pits they dug with half-alive people. The many human bodies in these graves exposed to daylight present Greek brutality to the world public opinion. The bodies of innocent Turkish Cypriots exhumed from mass graves proved to the extent how despicable the Greeks, who had been enforcing feudal laws on the island for years, were…”
**Analysis of Le Figaro on February 15-16, 1974:**
“If Turkey has not reinforced its regiment in Cyprus until today, it is proof of Turkey’s patience. Its right to do so cannot be denied. If international agreements have any meaning, Turkey can save the Turkish Cypriots from further massacres. This is the ugliest form of racial discrimination. It has been claimed that both sides are at fault to obscure the issue. However, the real culprit is the Greek Cypriot terrorist organization known as EOKA.”
**Statement:**
“Turkey has been put into a position to ensure on its own that the existence, independence, and territorial integrity of the state of Cyprus can never be threatened again in any way, and that a legal order protecting the rights and security of the Turkish community is maintained.”
**Conclusion:**
“This operation is a blessing to our nation, to all Cypriots, and to humanity. I hope that our forces will not be fired upon, leading to a bloody conflict. We are actually going to the island not for war, but to bring peace to both the Turks and the Greeks. We were forced to make this decision only after exhausting all diplomatic and political avenues.”
And technically never truly left, since North Cyprus is basically a mini-Turkey (if not an outright puppet state).
Considering the danger Turkish Cypriots faced, the invasion itself seems justified. Nevertheless, the subsequent occupation and division of Cyprus I do find unjustified and hopefully Cyprus can be reunited and governed solely by all Cypriots one day.
That would be nice.
Turkey did not one morning decide to invade Cyprus out of the blue. From 60s to 74 there were already tensions. Junta in Greece staged a coup against elected Cypriot government, and it all came to a boil.
Turkey’s military intervention was done under the guarantorship agreements. Turkey, Greece and Britain were guarantors of Cypriot constitution. So initial military intervention was legal. The problem was what came after, Turkey never left, so it became an invasion.
One may try to justify this in light of all the massacres leading up to 74. There wasn’t much trust between communities at that point. That’s neither here nor there.
In 2004, majority of Turkish Cypriots responded positively in a referendum to Annan plan to again unify the island. Greek Cypriots didn’t agree. So now Turkey is left holding the bag. I think there’s something to be said about that. One can’t keep on harping about invasion after rejecting unification…
TL;DR: Turkish intervention was a response to Greek coup. Turkey overstayed it’s welcome. Greek Cypriots said no to a UN plan that would have unified the island in 2004.
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This was also the final straw that lead to the collapse of the Greek military junta after it staged a coup d’etat of Cyprus but failed to defend it against the Turkish invasion.
**English Journalist David Leigh:**
“After the invasion of Cyprus, hundreds of Turkish Cypriots were taken hostage by the national guards, Turkish women were r*ped, children were killed in the streets, and Turkish neighborhoods in Limassol were completely burned down.”
**An Observation by a German Tourist to Germany’s Voice:**
“The Greeks’ brutality is beyond human comprehension… In the villages around Famagusta, the Greek national guards exhibited unparalleled examples of savagery. They entered Turkish homes; mercilessly shot women and children; slit the throats of many Turks; gathered Turkish women and r*ped them…”
**Findings of Observer James Rayner:**
“The Greek Cypriots, in the 20th century, exhibited barbaric behavior by not only brutally killing innocent Turkish Cypriots in the massacres they initiated but also filling the pits they dug with half-alive people. The many human bodies in these graves exposed to daylight present Greek brutality to the world public opinion. The bodies of innocent Turkish Cypriots exhumed from mass graves proved to the extent how despicable the Greeks, who had been enforcing feudal laws on the island for years, were…”
**Analysis of Le Figaro on February 15-16, 1974:**
“If Turkey has not reinforced its regiment in Cyprus until today, it is proof of Turkey’s patience. Its right to do so cannot be denied. If international agreements have any meaning, Turkey can save the Turkish Cypriots from further massacres. This is the ugliest form of racial discrimination. It has been claimed that both sides are at fault to obscure the issue. However, the real culprit is the Greek Cypriot terrorist organization known as EOKA.”
**Statement:**
“Turkey has been put into a position to ensure on its own that the existence, independence, and territorial integrity of the state of Cyprus can never be threatened again in any way, and that a legal order protecting the rights and security of the Turkish community is maintained.”
**Conclusion:**
“This operation is a blessing to our nation, to all Cypriots, and to humanity. I hope that our forces will not be fired upon, leading to a bloody conflict. We are actually going to the island not for war, but to bring peace to both the Turks and the Greeks. We were forced to make this decision only after exhausting all diplomatic and political avenues.”
And technically never truly left, since North Cyprus is basically a mini-Turkey (if not an outright puppet state).
Considering the danger Turkish Cypriots faced, the invasion itself seems justified. Nevertheless, the subsequent occupation and division of Cyprus I do find unjustified and hopefully Cyprus can be reunited and governed solely by all Cypriots one day.
That would be nice.
Turkey did not one morning decide to invade Cyprus out of the blue. From 60s to 74 there were already tensions. Junta in Greece staged a coup against elected Cypriot government, and it all came to a boil.
Turkey’s military intervention was done under the guarantorship agreements. Turkey, Greece and Britain were guarantors of Cypriot constitution. So initial military intervention was legal. The problem was what came after, Turkey never left, so it became an invasion.
One may try to justify this in light of all the massacres leading up to 74. There wasn’t much trust between communities at that point. That’s neither here nor there.
In 2004, majority of Turkish Cypriots responded positively in a referendum to Annan plan to again unify the island. Greek Cypriots didn’t agree. So now Turkey is left holding the bag. I think there’s something to be said about that. One can’t keep on harping about invasion after rejecting unification…
TL;DR: Turkish intervention was a response to Greek coup. Turkey overstayed it’s welcome. Greek Cypriots said no to a UN plan that would have unified the island in 2004.
Good