An oral history study on the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation through the eyes of veterans from Bandırma

This study is a qualitative oral history research that examines the 1974 Cyprus Peace Operation through the testimonies of veterans from Bandırma who participated in Cyprus. In the process that began with the transition of the island of Cyprus from Ottoman rule to British administration, the activities of the EOKA organization, established by the Greek community in pursuit of Enosis, and the resistance movements carried out by Turkish Cypriots under the TMT, constituted the main dynamics of political and social tension on the island. The Republic of Cyprus, established in 1960, became practically dysfunctional due to the systematic attacks by the Greeks and the coup on July 15, 1974; these developments paved the way for Turkey to launch the Cyprus Peace Operation by invoking its guarantor rights. The study addresses the political and military situation of Cyprus before the operation, the process leading up to the operation, the reasons for the operation, the course of the two-phase military operation, and the new order established after the operation within a comprehensive framework. The primary source of the research consists of interviews conducted with Cyprus veterans registered with the Bandırma Combat Veterans Association. The interviews conducted with nine veterans selected through a sampling method were documented not only with written records but also with audio and video recordings, and the data obtained were analyzed using the document analysis technique. The accounts of the veterans make visible not only the military dimension of the Cyprus Peace Operation but also its humanitarian, psychological, and social aspects. In this context, the study aims to contribute to the reconstruction of the historical process through the memories of individuals who served on the field, going beyond official documents and the existing literature.