British foreign policy in Cyprus (1950-1960)

Cyprus between the years 1878-1960 was dominated by British Empire. The years 1950-1960 are important in terms of putting an end the British domination in Cyprus. The Enosis campaign, started in 1950 with the leadership of the church and popularized by Makarios turned into terrorist attacks against the British administration in 1955. At this stage, Britain followed a policy not to give up Cyprus which had been started to rise as a very important base in terms of defending Middle East. For that reason Britain offered self government to Cypriots. When failed, Britain used Turkish nationalism to compensate Greek nationalism. When the tension that this situation created in between Turkey and Greece turned into a crisis for NATO in the Cold War conditions Britain had to let United States intervene the process. Britain gave up from all its rights but sovereign bases, Turkey partition and Greece annexation.This works explores the significance of Cyprus to Britain and its struggle to continue sovereignty over Cyprus and argues, in which conditions Britain had to give independence the island. Moreover, this work focused on what reasons had led Britain turned its policy from Cyprus as a base into a base in Cyprus. In conclusion, it was reached that Britain decided to control the Middle East with its two sovereign bases in Cyprus and had to give independence to Cyprus.