by Nikitas » Tue Jul 01, 2014 3:35 pm
Grivas was a decorated officer of the Greek Army, he fought in the Asia Minor campaigns. His memoirs reveal the scope of the man, a brilliant tactician but definitely no strategist.
The Enosis campaign was a narrow focus demand which left no room for any other alternative, even if that other alternative was more beneficial to the Cypriots or even to Hellenism (as opposed to Greece, the two are not synonymous).
Greece had a strange attitude to the EOKA campaign, neither embracing nor disowning it. After independence the Greek approach was one of control to prevent some undefined "threat" from within, more than an external threat, ie Turkey. The USA approved of the Greek approach and encouraged it.
During the Junta years, 1967-1973 the slant was a rabid anticommunism, anyone who served in the National Guard during those years will know. The Junta, in its anticommunist delirium, could accept even double union if that meant keeping the communist threat at bay. Look at the "one woman two lovers" speech by Junta leader Papadopoulos. The Junta exploited both the leader of EOKA, Grivas, as well as the heroic image of the original EOKA of the 50s to create the anti communist EOKA-B. It is fascinating that during the EOKA-B subversion campaign of the early 70s there was no concern at all about a possible Turkish reaction, evidence of tha lack of strategic planning.
Looking at the process with the benefit of hindsight it is obvious that it lacked strategy, diplomacy, enlightenment and even plain cunning. Cypriot insistence on a one issue tack allowed all the others to use them.
Well I would’ve never known! Ok you got me Sotos! 
