Turkish Cypriots mark July 20th, a day of remembrance and resistance | July 20th: A day to reflect on struggle for survival

July 20th is one of the most significant days in the struggle for existence of the Turkish Cypriots.

Due to its strategic location in the Mediterranean, Cyprus has held historical importance for and was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1571. It remained as a part of the Ottoman territory for over three centuries. However, everything changed with the Ottomans were defeated by the Russians in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. Seeking assistance from England, the Ottoman Empire signed the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. According to this treaty, the island would remain under Ottoman sovereignty, but its administrative control would be in the hands of England.

During WW1, the Ottoman Empire sided with Germany against England and its allies. The defeat also affected Cyprus. On November 5, 1914, England announced the annexation of the island. After WW1, with the conclusion of the Treaty of Lausanne, Cyprus fell completely under British control.

The first steps towards the events that led to the 1974 Cyprus Operation were taken in the 1950s. The Greek Cypriots initiated various activities to join Greece, which then drew Türkiye into the matter. Efforts were made to establish a bi-communal Cyprus State. Following negotiations conducted by Türkiye, Greece, and England, it was agreed in 1959 to establish a Cyprus State to be jointly administered by the Turkish and Greek Cypriot people. According to the agreement, Türkiye, Greece, and England had become guarantor countries. This means that these three countries were given the authority to intervene in case of any attempt to disrupt the constitutional order in Cyprus.

The establishment of the Cyprus State did not bring the expected peace, as Greek Cypriot politicians had never abandoned their goal of unification with Greece. It didn't take long for the Greek Cypriots to organize and take action. Under the leadership of Makarios, the first President of the Republic of Cyprus, the Greek Cypriot organization called EOKA (National Organization of Cypriot Struggle) initiated attacks against the Turks.

The bloodiest of these attacks took place in December 1963. The attack was so brutal that it would go down in history as the "Bloody Christmas." Hundreds of Turks were massacred overnight. Türkiye could not remain indifferent to the escalating events. Turkish warplanes flew over Nicosia, delivering their first message to the Greeks.

As chaos increased on the island, the United Nations intervened to try to establish control. Despite the UN's involvement, the Greeks continued their attacks. Meanwhile, one of the guarantor states, the United Kingdom, refrained from taking any action.

As the attacks intensified, Türkiye began preparations for intervention in Cyprus. In 1964, the government led by İsmet İnönü obtained authorization from the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye for possible intervention on the island. The government announced its intention to intervene in Cyprus on June 7. However, the United States did not waste time in stepping in. U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson wrote a letter to İsmet İnönü on June 5. In the message, known as the "Johnson Letter," Türkiye was urged to abandon the military operation. Faced with the explicit threat from the U.S., the plan for intervention in Cyprus was set aside.

With the decision not to intervene, EOKA's activities became even more daring. Especially from 1967 onwards, the pressure against the Turks started to escalate. Massacres resumed, and the Turkish population was forced into enclaves, occupying only 3% of the island.

Colonel Nikos Sampson conducted a bloody coup in Cyprus on July 15, 1974. His aim was to achieve the dream of "Enosis," which envisioned the island of Cyprus being united with Greece. This meant erasing the Turkish presence from the island completely.

In the face of this coup, which had clearly aimed to do large-scale genocide, Türkiye took immediate action. Despite international pressure, Türkiye did not hesitate to exercise its right as a guarantor.

The then Prime Minister, Bülent Ecevit, announced, "We are going to the island not for war but for peace, not only to bring peace to the Turks but also to the Greeks."

The Cyprus Peace Operation began with the first light of July 20th morning. Turkish troops set foot on the island at around 06:05.

With the Turkish military arriving by air and sea, they stood shoulder to shoulder with Turkish Cypriot fighters and became the saviours of the Turkish Cypriot people, engaging in intense battles.

"Ayşe should go on vacation."

Türkiye, in accordance with the decision of the United Nations Security Council, halted the operation on July 22, 1974. Following another UN Security Council decision, Türkiye, Greece, and the UK came together to begin negotiations for the resolution of the Cyprus issue. When the Geneva conference, which began at the end of July, proved inconclusive, the second phase of the operation was put into action on the night between August 13th and 14th with the slogan "Ayşe should go on vacation."

Ayşe was the name of the daughter of the then Minister of Foreign Affairs of Türkiye, Turan Güneş, who had participated in the Geneva conference. It signified that no results would come out of the negotiations and that no time should have been wasted for the operation.

Greek milita massacres

Greek militia brutally massacred hundreds of innocent civilians in the Turkish villages they besieged as they retreated. Villages such as Taşkent, Atlılar, Muratağa, and Sandallar witnessed inhumane atrocities, where all the victims were women, children, and elderly. The massacred civilians were buried in mass graves, and even today, their identification and burial in martyrdom continues due to the magnitude of the savagery inflicted upon them.

The Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus was established.

As a result of the Cyprus Peace Operation, which ended on August 18, the Turkish military achieved significant success, leading to the beginning of a new era of peace on the island.

During the Cyprus Peace Operation, the Turkish army suffered 498 martyrs, while the Turkish Cypriot side lost 70 militants and 270 others. The overall number of Turkish Cypriots martyred during the operation reached 1672, as recorded.

As a consequence of the operation, the current boundaries of Cyprus were drawn. On February 13, 1975, the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus was established, with Rauf Denktaş as the President of the Federation and the Assembly. On November 15, 1983, the declaration of the establishment of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) was made to the world, with Rauf Denktaş becoming its first president.