"I would be prepared to accept the status of independence for Cyprus on the condition that this status shall not be changed, either by union with Greece, by partition, or by any other way, unless the United Nations approves such a change." Archbishop Makarios, September 1958

In this episode, we explore connections between the American struggle for independence from Britain in 1776 and the Cypriot struggle for independence from Britain nearly 200 years later.

Here is a list of key terms, organizations, and people:

ENOSIS: the union of Cyprus with Greece TAKSIM: the partition of Cyprus between Turkish and Greek populations NATIONAL RADICAL UNION OF CYPRUS: precursor to EOKA EOKA: the name of the Greek nationalist organization TMT: the name of the Turkish nationalist organization AKEL: the trade union party of Cyprus, with links to communism

Archbishop Makarios: Leader of the enosis movement and first president of Cyprus Jason Loukianou: proponent of a liberal republic of Cyprus Antonios Triantafyllides: lawyer and nationalist politician assassinated in 1934 for agreeing to participate in British Colonial Advisory Council General Georgios Grivas: Greek nationalist and military leader of EOKA

Topics include:

-a brief history of modern Cyprus from 1776, during Ottoman rule (1570-1878), through British rule (1878-1960)

-the changing governance models in Cyprus and the evolving legal status of Cypriots while under British rule

-the re-introduction by the British of democratic practices, constitutional rule, and a liberal legal system into Cyprus

-the impact of the Great Depression on Cyprus

-the impact of WWII, the Greek Civil War, and the Cold War on Cyprus

Prof. Varnava's books can be found here:

Assassination in Colonial Cyprus in 1934 and the Origins of EOKA

British Cyprus and the Long Great War, 1914-1925: Empire, Loyalties and Democratic Deficit

Serving the Empire in the Great War: The Cypriot Mule Corps, Imperial Loyalty and Silenced Memory

British Imperialism in Cyprus, 1878-1915: The Inconsequential Possession

The cover image depicts the British military hoisting the Union Jack in Nicosia, Cyprus, on 12 July 1878.