| ID | 090125 |
| Title Proper | Special operations executive and Cyprus in the Second World War |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Dimitrakis, Panagiotis |
| Publication | 2009. |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Cyprus, together with Gibraltar and Malta, constituted the 'crown jewels' of British sea power in the Mediterranean during the Second World War. Being deployed on Cyprus the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force could fight the Germans and Italians in the Southeast Mediterranean, thus inhibiting the continuous supply with troops and war material of the Africa Corps of Field Marshall Ervin Rommel. This article aims to shed light on the activities of the Special Operations Executive on the island. Citing recently declassified files we assess the espionage and propaganda as well as the guerrilla warfare contingencies in case of an Axis invasion of Cyprus. We provide a critical assessment of the British guerrilla warfare strategy, arguing that the SOE and the 25th Army Corps based on Cyprus had not been well prepared to counter aggression due to inter-service rivalries, bad planning and lack of manpower. Besides, the SOE distrusted the Greek-Cypriots and the Turkish-Cypriots to the extent that the training of guerrillas was planned to commence only after a successful invasion and the occupation of the island. Finally, SOE officers considered the Cypriot communists with their anti-colonialist declarations as another threat to be confronted with special operations. |
| `In' analytical Note | Middle Eastern Studies Vol. 45, No. 2; Mar 2009: p315-328 |
| Journal Source | Middle Eastern Studies Vol. 45, No. 2; Mar 2009: p315-328 |
| Key Words | Cyprus ; World War II ; Special Operations Executive ; SOE |