Cyprus-Forum.com

[Simon]

I have heard the assertion more than once that Greece was ready to intercept the Turkish invasion force, and was capable of defeating it; with supporting Phantom jets also attacking the Turkish fleet from Crete. However, the US threatened to sink the Greek Navy if it left its port. I cannot actually find a link, although I know that I have read it in a book regarding Cyprus' history and heard it via word of mouth. How true is it and does anybody have any evidence for this? Did the Americans really threaten to sink the Greek Navy? If so, how can people like GR criticise Greece for doing nothing during the invasion?

I do know this much:

"On the day of the invasion, the Greek government ordered a general call up to mobilise its armed forces. On July 21, the Greek President and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, Galatzanos, Arapakis and Papanikolau, met and decided that the following day, under Bonanos' supervision, the Greek Armed Forces would:

a. begin shooting in Thrace, to divert Turkish attention;
b. sink the Turkish landing craft outside Kyrenia and
c. fly 6 Phantom jets from Crete to attack the Turkish forces in Cyprus

However, due to "anglo-american rumours that there was a Bulgarian build-up on the border with Greece", it appears the plan was aborted.

The above quotation is paraphrased from "A Modern History of Cyprus" by William Mallinson.

[boulio]

if the greek govt(junta)wasent in chaos and rumores of british and american naval assets in the area probably would have been a whole lot different:

http://www.acig.org/artman/publish/article_296.shtml

[YFred]

I have heard the assertion more than once that Greece was ready to intercept the Turkish invasion force, and was capable of defeating it; with supporting Phantom jets also attacking the Turkish fleet from Crete. However, the US threatened to sink the Greek Navy if it left its port. I cannot actually find a link, although I know that I have read it in a book regarding Cyprus' history and heard it via word of mouth. How true is it and does anybody have any evidence for this? Did the Americans really threaten to sink the Greek Navy? If so, how can people like GR criticise Greece for doing nothing during the invasion?

I do know this much:

"On the day of the invasion, the Greek government ordered a general call up to mobilise its armed forces. On July 21, the Greek President and the chiefs of the Army, Navy and Air Force, Galatzanos, Arapakis and Papanikolau, met and decided that the following day, under Bonanos' supervision, the Greek Armed Forces would:

a. begin shooting in Thrace, to divert Turkish attention;
b. sink the Turkish landing craft outside Kyrenia and
c. fly 6 Phantom jets from Crete to attack the Turkish forces in Cyprus

However, due to "anglo-american rumours that there was a Bulgarian build-up on the border with Greece", it appears the plan was aborted.

The above quotation is paraphrased from "A Modern History of Cyprus" by William Mallinson.

You must be in cloud nine. Divert who? They sent 40000 to Cyprus and had 500000 ready for Greece and that is without mobilisation. If they mobilesed, they would have bigger Army then the whole of population of Greece.
I heard the oposite that the Turks were worried about the 6th Fleet intefering with the operations and they drew up plans ready to sink it and believe me they would have sunk it, the Pilots had the courage and the knowhow to dive into the ships fully loaded. 6th Fleet wouldn't have seen them coming.
Greece's worst fear was losing Northern Greece and the rest of the so called "Greek Islands", which is why they did nothing.

[Sotos]

You Central Asian Mongolian Barbarian, what is "so called" is "Turkey".

[YFred]

You Central Asian Mongolian Barbarian, what is "so called" is "Turkey".

I use a simple calculation, the island belongs to the nearest main land. Very simple really and most of the time its true except with the Greeks and the British.

[Simon]

Y-Fred, if you don't mind me saying so, your logic is completely ridiculous regarding which island belongs to who. I will not even justify it with a response.

Just because Turkey had more numbers it does not mean it would have won the war. Look up some of history's battles, the largest force does certainly not always win. Greece has more modern equipment than Turkey, for example. Strategy is the all important thing. Turkey's performance when invading Cyprus showed the world the poor state of its armed forces. Anyway, all this is besides the point, has anyone heard similar to me regarding the US threat?

I must say, it is you who live on cloud 9 if you think Turkey would have sunk America's sixth fleet! That would have been a declaration of war on a superpower. You're crazy if you think Turkey's third world military could possibly take on America Some of you Turkish nationalists make me laugh

[YFred]

Y-Fred, if you don't mind me saying so, your logic is completely ridiculous regarding which island belongs to who. I will not even justify it with a response.

Just because Turkey had more numbers it does not mean it would have won the war. Look up some of history's battles, the largest force does certainly not always win. Greece has more modern equipment than Turkey, for example. Strategy is the all important thing. Turkey's performance when invading Cyprus showed the world the poor state of its armed forces. Anyway, all this is besides the point, has anyone heard similar to me regarding the US threat?

I must say, it is you who live on cloud 9 if you think Turkey would have sunk America's sixth fleet! That would have been a declaration of war on a superpower. You're crazy

At the time there was some crazy people in power. Think of it another way, if your child smacks you hard what do you do?

Surely, being members of Nato, the equipment were of equal standard and Turkey had more.

Logically thinking can there be any reason for Greece to not take action if they thought that they could win. The opposite is true, they would take no action if they knew they would lose.

[insan]

R u talking abt this:

LST LESVOS. The LST LESVOS is famous from the period of the invasion of the Turkish army in Cyprus. After it sailed the port of Cyprus, transporting men of ELDIK that had been replaced, the LST was ordered to return and put them ashore in PAFO, in danger of being attacked by the Turkish Air force.
The Commanding Officer Commander A. Chandrinos routed the vessel to Pafos and disembarked the Hellenic Force of Cyprus, while using the vessel's artillery to help bend the resistance of the Turkish-Cypriots and Cypriots take control of the region.
Then followed a Southern course to the coasts of Libya, after having calculated the danger from the Turkish Aviation, thus luring the Turkish that had come out to chase him away from their initial target. This was when he totally changed course and moving Westwards,he returned to Greece. The result of these movements was the confusion of the Turkish forces and the immersion of Turkish Destroyer KOCATEPE which was believed to be Greek and responsible for the incident in Pafos.

http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/dad_history_en.asp


I can recommend u to read 400 pages of CIA report that contains all details of the events of 1973-1976 and US intervention during the events of 1974

[Simon]

Not only would it have been crazy for Turkey to attack American ships, but suicidal! I wish they had.

Y-Fred, I have told you why I think Greece did not intervene. Because I have heard that the US threatened the Greek fleet. Also, the Greeks heard Bulgarian invasion rumours, and the government was in chaos. There was huge anglo-american pressure to avoid a Greco-Turkish war. All these reasons may have contributed to Greece's inaction. I believe that if the two had gone to war, it would have been catastrophic for both sides. Just because 2 countries are members of NATO, it does not mean their equipment is always of the same standard. For example, today, Greece has more modern F-16 fighters than Turkey (the Block D variety).

[Sotos]

You Central Asian Mongolian Barbarian, what is "so called" is "Turkey".

I use a simple calculation, the island belongs to the nearest main land. Very simple really and most of the time its true except with the Greeks and the British.

What you forget is that the nearest land in Asia Minor also belonged to the Greeks and all the cities on the west coast of Asia Minor are made by Greeks. Just because you stole the land it doesn't mean you should get the islands near it. A better calculation to use is that the island belongs where the native islanders want it to belong.