August 14: Anniversary of the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus

On August 14, Cyprus commemorates the anniversary of the second phase of the Turkish invasion in 1974, known as "Attila 2." This military operation, launched after the collapse of peace talks in Geneva, led to the further occupation of territories of the Republic of Cyprus.

The Turkish side, according to statements by Rauf Denktash, sought to have the Cyprus problem forgotten over time. As Dimitris Tsatsos notes, historical amnesia serves specific purposes and interests.

Operation "Attila 2" began on August 14, 1974, following the failure of the Geneva Conference. Turkish aviation bombed the area, and the army advanced from Nicosia to Famagusta, expanding the occupation. The then-Foreign Minister of Greece, Georgios Mavros, had referred to Ankara's plan to create a satellite state in Cyprus.

The Turkish invasion left behind ruins, pain, mass executions, rapes, torture, and ethnic cleansing. Ankara, however, calls the invasion a "peace operation." Henry Kissinger is considered the moral author of the crime against the Cypriot people.

Britain, a guarantor power, did not react to the invasion, while Konstantinos Karamanlis convened a War Council in Athens, but it was decided not to send aid to Cyprus. Political analysts argue that the conditions existed for a deterrent policy.