Timeline of the 1974 Invasion of Cyprus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Turkish Invasion of Cyprus | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Combatants | |||||||
 Turkey |
 Cyprus |
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| Strength | |||||||
| ~ 40,000 troops
~ 200 tanks |
~ 12,000 troops
~ 35 tanks |
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[edit] Timeline of Events
- 15 July 1974 – The Cypriot National Guard and EOKA-B launch a coup to overthrow the democratically-elected President, Archbishop Makarios III.
- 19 July 1974 - Whilst addressing the UN Security Council, Archbishop Makarios III accused Greece of having invaded Cyprus: “The coup of the Greek junta is an invasion, and from its consequences the whole people of Cyprus suffers, both Greeks and Turks.”
- 20 July 1974 – Turkey launches its invasion of northern Cyprus. Two Cyprus Navy motor torpedo boats, the T1 and the T3, are sent out from Kyrenia to engage the Turkish naval flotilla approaching the shore. Both ships are sunk by combined Turkish air and naval attack. (Drousiotis, 2005)
- 20 July 1974 – Greek Cypriot forces launch an organised counter-attack against the Turkish beachhead at Kyrenia, supported by T-34 tanks, but this ultimately fails to dislodge the Turkish landing force. Four Greek-Cypriot T-34 tanks and two armoured vehicles are destroyed by Turkish infantry and air attacks (Drousiotis,2005)
- 20 July 1974 – The Cypriot National Guard, supported by all available T-34 tanks, as well as Greek ELDYK forces, launch a massive attack against the Turkish Cypriot enclave at Kioneli, attempting to prevent Turkish forces from forming a bridgehead to Nicosia. This attack fails and two Greek-Cypriot T-34 tanks are destroyed.
- 20 July 1974 – Cypriot National Guard commando and infantry forces launch a coordinated attack against the Turkish enclave of Agyrta-Nicosia, encircling the northern flanks in an effort to isolate it. Turkish parachutists are dropped in and around the enclave in order to reinforce it, leading to heavy infantry losses at Mia Milia, where they are accidentally dropped on Greek Cypriot defensive lines.
- 21 July 1974 – The Turkish destroyer D-354 Kocatepe is subjected to friendly fire from Turkish warplanes and sunk after being mistaken for a Greek ship. Two other destroyers are also damaged in the attack.
- 21 July 1974 - Cypriot National Guard forces deploy around Kyrenia and begin to form defensive lines on the Kyrenia-Karavas road, and also at Trimithi.
- 21 July 1974 - Heavy fighting takes place in the Pentedaktylos mountains between Greek Cypriot mountain commando forces and Turkish forces. The Greek Cypriots take Aspri Moutti, while the Turks take control of Ag. Ilariona, both sides using them as support positions.
- 21 July 1974 - Greek Cypriot mountain commandos are ordered to begin leaving the Pentedaktylos mountains in order to secure other objectives. The Cypriot National Guard captures the village of Pileri.
- 21 July 1974 - An attempt is made to assassinate the Greek Cypriot Naval Commander as he travels to Karavas on the Mirtou-Asomatou road. The attempt, mounted by Turkish paratroopers, fails.
- 22 July 1974 – Turkish landing ships reach the beachhead and begin unloading M47 and M48 main battle tanks as well as supporting equipment. The Greek Cypriot forces in the area are unable to contain the new landing force and retreat.
- 22 July 1974 – An attempt by Turkish landing craft to land at Kyrenia harbour fails. Cypriot National Guard forces retreat towards Kyrenia, under pressure from Turkish armoured forces.
- 22 July 1974 – The last defences at Kyrenia collapse. Greek Cypriot forces trapped in the castle manage to escape out of the city. (Drousiotis, 2005)
- 22 July 1974 – A flight of Greek Nortalas planes, bringing reinforcements form Greece, encounter friendly fire from defenders at Nicosia International Airport, causing heavy Greek casualties. Turkish forces have successfully created a bridgehead between Kyrenia and Agyrta-Nicosia, forcing Cypriot National Guard forces to retreat south.
- 23 July 1974 – Nikos Sampson is removed from office and replaced with Glafkos Klerides. The coup regime ends. A general ceasefire is declared, but in many parts of the island, this is not adhered to.
- 23 July 1974 – Turkish forces have advanced as far south as Nicosia International Airport, where they encounter stiff resistance from Greek and Greek Cypriot forces. Two Turkish M47 tanks are destroyed by anti-tank rockets fired by infantry defending the airport. The capture of the airport was one of the few objectives that the Turkish Army decisively failed to achieve during the invasion.
- 25 July 1974 – The first Geneva talks begin between the foreign ministers of the guarantor powers, to discuss the situation on the island.
- 26 July 1974 - Turkish forces occupy the villages of St Ermolaos and Sisklipos, as well as the pass of St Pavlos.
- 27 July 1974- The village of St Ermalaos is briefly recaptured by Cypriot National Guard forces.
- 28 July 1974 - Cypriot National Guard forces retreat from St Ermolaos after holding the area for more than three days against sustained Turkish assault.
- 1 August 1974 - Heavy fighting at Karavas. One Turkish M47 tank is reported destroyed by an AT-3 Sagger anti-tank guided weapon.
- 2 August 1974 – The Battle of Kornos Hill results in a minor victory for the Cypriot National Guard, with an ambush capturing an M47 tank, "092273", and an M113 APC, "239943" , while destroying an M47 tank and an M113 APC with recoilless rifle fire. (Vlassis,2004)
- 6 August 1974 – Turkish forces of the 28th Division attack Lapithos and Karavas in the north of the island. Fighting in the general area progressed south, and continued until after the 14th of August.
- 8 August 1974 - Turkish forces occupy Lapithos after two days of resistance there by Greek Cypriot forces.
- 10 August 1974 – The second Geneva conference is held, during which time Glafkos Klerides and Rauf Denktash meet to discuss the situation on the island.
- 14 August 1974 – Turkish forces commence the second stage of their operation, known as "Atilla-II", contravening the UN ceasefire.
- 14 August 1974 – The 28th and 39th Divisions of the Turkish Army advance beyond their previously observed UN ceasefire lines and engage in three days of assault against the Cypriot National Guard. Morphou and Lefka both fall to Turkish forces.
- 15 August 1974 – The last defences at Famagusta (Varosha) collapse, and Greek Cypriot forces withdraw to Larnaca. Two Turkish M47 tanks are reported destroyed by M40A1 recoiless rifle fire at Vasilia.
- 15 August 1974 – In Nicosia, Turkish and Greek Cypriot tanks encounter each other in the only known tank-to-tank battle of the conflict. One Turkish M47 is reportedly destroyed by fire from three T-34's, and a number of other Turkish M47's are forced to retreat under artillery fire. (Karkaletsis, 2004)
- 16 August 1974 – Turkish forces advance as far as the “Atilla” line, a pre-determined territorial occupation by which time, 37% of the island is now under Turkish control.
[edit] Sources
- Cypriot National Guard Official Site [1]
- The Cyprus Conflict [2]
- "Cyprus, 1974", by T. Cooper and N. Tselepidis, published October 28th 2003 for ACIG.org.
- APORRITOS ATILLAS, Savvas Vlassis
- "1974: The Unknown Backstage of the Turkish Invasion", Makarios Drousiotis, Nicosia 2002, ISBN 9963-631-02-9
- Cyprus 1974 - The Greek coup and the Turkish invasion, Makarios Drousiotis, Hellenic Distribution Agency
- Cyprus 100 Years Alex Efthyvoulou, Laiki Cultural Bank Archive
- Hellenic Nationalist Page [3]
- ELDYK Camp 1974- the Thermopyles of Cyprus in Stratiotiki Istoria Issue 95, July 2004
- Representative of Peloponnesian ELDYK (based on listed sources: The Battle of Cyprus ( G.P. Sergis (Colonel ret.)), Waiting for Attila (Har. Haralampopopoulos (Vice general ret.)), For Cyprus (Ministry of Defence), He called the Turks (Gr. Mixalopoulos) ELDYK album 74 (Association of Reserve Officers of Kyrenia), ELDYK album).
- Occupied Cyprus Project [4]
- OPERATION "NIKI" 1974 - A Suicide Mission to Cyprus. (Mihail Solanakis).
- The Battle of the Nicosia International Airport, July 23-24, 1974
- War in Peace, Cyprus 1974, Pages 1669 - 1673 (PJ Banyard).
- The Action of the Captured M47 in Atilla II in The Unknown Soldier of Cyprus (Savvas Vlassis)
