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The Cyprus Emergency: The Divided Island 1955 - 1974
The British faced two serious problems – the first, the Greek Cypriots’ desire for Enosis and second, the intense rivalry and antipathy between the Greek and Turkish communities.
In 1955 the former resulted in a bitter EOKA terrorist campaign led by Colonel George Grivas. This resulted in the deaths of over 100 British servicemen. Nicosia’s ‘Murder Mile’ was the scene of many shootings. The Governor Field Marshal Harding narrowly escaped assassination in his residence.
The next phase was the Turkish Government’s military intervention in 1974 to prevent what they saw as the Greek takeover. In a bloody invasion which saw widespread ‘ethnic cleansing’ and displacement of communities, the Island was divided into two sectors policed by the United Nations. This exists today, as do the British Sovereign Base areas at Dhekalia and Atrokiri/Episkopi.
This book describes the most troubled years of this beautiful island which is so well known to British servicemen, their families and vacationers.
In 1955 the former resulted in a bitter EOKA terrorist campaign led by Colonel George Grivas. This resulted in the deaths of over 100 British servicemen. Nicosia’s ‘Murder Mile’ was the scene of many shootings. The Governor Field Marshal Harding narrowly escaped assassination in his residence.
The next phase was the Turkish Government’s military intervention in 1974 to prevent what they saw as the Greek takeover. In a bloody invasion which saw widespread ‘ethnic cleansing’ and displacement of communities, the Island was divided into two sectors policed by the United Nations. This exists today, as do the British Sovereign Base areas at Dhekalia and Atrokiri/Episkopi.
This book describes the most troubled years of this beautiful island which is so well known to British servicemen, their families and vacationers.
- GenresHistoryWarNonfiction
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 15, 2011
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34 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
December 31, 2018
Πρόκειται για την Βρετανική υποκειμενική "ματιά" για τον αγώνα της ΕΟΚΑ, την ανεξαρτησία της Κύπρου και την τουρκική εισβολή και κατοχή στον νησί.
Έχει ενδιαφέρον να διαβάζεις τι λέει η άλλη πλευρά.
Επιχειρήσεις 7-10 ημερών με 3-4 τάγματα και χρήση ελικοπτέρων, αεροσκαφών και πλοίων που είχαν ως αποτέλεσμα την εύρεση μικρής ποσότητας πυρομαχικών και οπλισμού, σύλληψη υποπτων και 1-2 νεκρούς άνδρες της ΕΟΚΑ παρουσιάζονται από τον συγγραφέα σαν επιτυχίες των Βρετανικών στρατευμάτων κατοχής.
Αν προσπεράσει κάποιος την συνεχή προσπάθεια του συγγραφέα να μειώσει τον αρχηγό της ΕΟΚΑ και τους άνδρες του και μείνει στα γεγονότα νομίζω ότι το βιβλίο έχει την αξία του.
Έχει ενδιαφέρον να διαβάζεις τι λέει η άλλη πλευρά.
Επιχειρήσεις 7-10 ημερών με 3-4 τάγματα και χρήση ελικοπτέρων, αεροσκαφών και πλοίων που είχαν ως αποτέλεσμα την εύρεση μικρής ποσότητας πυρομαχικών και οπλισμού, σύλληψη υποπτων και 1-2 νεκρούς άνδρες της ΕΟΚΑ παρουσιάζονται από τον συγγραφέα σαν επιτυχίες των Βρετανικών στρατευμάτων κατοχής.
Αν προσπεράσει κάποιος την συνεχή προσπάθεια του συγγραφέα να μειώσει τον αρχηγό της ΕΟΚΑ και τους άνδρες του και μείνει στα γεγονότα νομίζω ότι το βιβλίο έχει την αξία του.
January 29, 2025
Somewhat a disappointing book about Cypriot independence and division. Quick glance at the sources the author used suggest the themes of the book are military. The detail about numbers of people, types of weapons, descriptions of military engagements and civilian actions might be appreciated by military history buffs but even readers appreciating the detail will notice the lack of analysis of the political interactions between “Greek” and “Turkish” Cypriots and their political parties and major powers of the international community. The USA is rarely mentioned.
April 4, 2020
Fascinating look at the decolonization of Cyprus.
December 8, 2019
The Cyprus Emergency: The Divided Island 1955-1974 by Nick Van Der Bijl
This book has way too much detailed information, it must be the author's entire research put into a book. While it covers the 1955-1974 period, it mainly focuses on 1955-1959, then jumps ahead after Cypriot independence in 1960. Seemingly every footstep, every unit, every soldier, every march, every attack, every graffiti is recorded and it crawls along. He does include the main political happenings and includes what is known now versus what was known about Grivas/Diogenes back then. The reader will definitely appreciate the tension that must have existed here, particularly among the British population, during the "enosis" years. The author's aim appears to memorialize the British who died during the "small wars" Britain fought across its empire.
The 1974 battles are also detailed and the author offers his own opinions as to who was right or wrong. For various reasons, I won't comment on the events of the period. But this book is far too detailed with military, and even political, minutia to recommend it to someone wanting to know the story of the "Cyprus problem." 2.5 stars out of 5.
This book has way too much detailed information, it must be the author's entire research put into a book. While it covers the 1955-1974 period, it mainly focuses on 1955-1959, then jumps ahead after Cypriot independence in 1960. Seemingly every footstep, every unit, every soldier, every march, every attack, every graffiti is recorded and it crawls along. He does include the main political happenings and includes what is known now versus what was known about Grivas/Diogenes back then. The reader will definitely appreciate the tension that must have existed here, particularly among the British population, during the "enosis" years. The author's aim appears to memorialize the British who died during the "small wars" Britain fought across its empire.
The 1974 battles are also detailed and the author offers his own opinions as to who was right or wrong. For various reasons, I won't comment on the events of the period. But this book is far too detailed with military, and even political, minutia to recommend it to someone wanting to know the story of the "Cyprus problem." 2.5 stars out of 5.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews