The Cyprus War 1974

In July 1974, the Cypriot government demanded the withdrawal of Greek army officers assigned to the National Guard, charging them with plotting to subvert the government and seek union (enosis) with Greece. The military dictatorship in Greece then engineered a coup by the Greek Cypriot National Guard, led by the Greek officers in question. The Turkish government condemned the coup as a threat to the Turkish minority in Cyprus. The United Nations failed to act and a Turkish meeting with the British government, two of the three guarantor powers (Greece, Turkey and the UK) of the 1959 Treaty of Guarantee, failed to result in a commitment to act jointly. Turkish demands, including the removal of the coup leader and the Greek officers, were transmitted to Greece through an American mediator but the Greek government refused to make the necessary concessions. By now a Turkish invasion fleet was at sea.

Turkey already had 750 troops stationed on Cyprus, supporting the Turkish-Cypriot militia, by international agreement at this time. On July 20, 1974, Turkish reinforcements began to arrive via parachute, helicopter and amphibious craft. The Greek army had a comparable force stationed on the island, supporting the Greek-Cypriot militia. Fighting between the Greek and Turkish forces broke out immediately as the Turks advanced. Greece attempted to send reinforcement but their ships turned back after Turkish destroyers sunk three supply craft. A United Nations (UN) sponsored cease-fire on July 22nd reduced the warfare to sporadic fighting.

Just days after the invasion began the military junta in Greece collapsed and the new civilian government sought to reduce tensions with Turkey. Turkish forces continued to take territory during the truce. On August 10th, at a conference in Geneva with representatives of the guarantor powers and Cyprus present, the Turks demanded 34 percent of the island for Turkish-Cypriots as part of a federation of Cyprus. The demand was rejected and the Turks went on the offensive again on August 14th and occupied about 37 percent of the island by August 16th at which time Turkey announced a cease-fire. The UN established a buffer zone between the Greek and Turkish territories on the island and a peace persisted.

Notes

[1] Correlates of War (CoW) lists only Turkey and Cyprus (opposing Turkey). It is clear Greek and Turkish Cypriots fought on opposite sides and Greek troops also fought.

[2] CoW reports Cyprus battle deaths of 500 (opposing Turkey). Clodfelter and Country Study suggest at least 4,500 Greek-Cypriot battle deaths and it is assumed this figure incorporates Greek battle deaths too.

[3] CoW does not list Turkish-Cypriots. Clodfelter suggests "several hundred" were killed.

[4] CoW reports Turkish battle deaths of 1,000 and this may be inclusive of Turkish-Cypriots. Clodfelter reports Turkish military battle deaths of 300.

References

Clodfelter, 987; COW184; Cyprus - A Country Study; Kohn, 139-40; Turkey - A Country Study.

Category

Inter-State War

Region

Western Europe

Belligerents

Greece^[1], Greek-Cypriots^[1], Turkey, Turkish-Cypriots^[1]

Dispute

Interests, Governance, Territory

Initiation Date

July 20, 1974

Termination Date

August 14, 1974

Duration

26 days

Outcome

Unresolved Truce
(Turkish victory)

Fatalities

Total: 5,300
Greece: 0^[2]
Greek Cypriots: 4,500^[2]
Turkish Cypriots: 500^[3]
Turkey: 300^[4]

Magnitude

3.7