TimeGhost History
Published 16 Nov 2025Cyprus, 1950s–60s. An island divided between Greek Cypriots, Turkish Cypriots, and the British Empire becomes the battleground for one of the Cold War’s most explosive regional crises. What begins as a struggle for independence soon spirals into a three-way conflict of nationalism, colonial strategy, and clashing identities — with Archbishop Makarios III, paramilitary groups, Athens, Ankara, and London all pulling in different directions.
In this episode of War 2 War, we uncover how Cyprus became:
- A central front in the decline of the British Empire
- A stage for espionage, guerrilla warfare, and political assassinations
- A diplomatic nightmare for NATO
- A struggle where UN peacekeepers become critical to preventing total collapse
- A conflict whose consequences still shape Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean today
We’ll trace the rise of EOKA, the reaction in the Turkish Cypriot community, the impossible balancing act of Makarios III, and how superpower pressure from the USA and USSR escalated an already volatile situation.
This is the hidden story of how one island’s crisis reshaped the politics of an entire region — and marked the end of Britain as a global imperial power.
If you want to dive deeper into the post-WW2 world and the battles fought between empires, nationalism, and the Cold War, join us at timeghost.tv or on patreon.com.
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Follow Timeghost History on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/timeghosthistorySource list: http://bit.ly/WW2sources
Archive footage: Screenocean/Reuters – https://www.screenocean.comHosted by: Sebastian Brandstetter
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Co-produced by: Sebastian Brandstetter
Creative Director: Iryna Dulka
Community Management: Anna Deinhard & Tom Aldis
Written by: Jesse Karami, Sebastian Brandstetter
Research by: Jesse Karami, Sebastian Brandstetter
Edited by: Karolina Dołęga
Color grading by: Karolina Dołęga
Artwork by: Himanka Kalita
Sound design by: Marek KamińskiColorizations by: Mikołaj Uchman & Karolina Dołęga
Image sources:
National Portrait Gallery
National Army Museum, London: NAM. 1992-08-65-57, NAM. 1992-08-65-68, NAM. 1992-08-65-57
David Rumsey Map Center, Stanford Libraries
Photos of Prodromos market in 1957 courtesy of Don Christie
Imperial War Museums: IWM CPF 130 , IWM NA 26787, IWM HU 52030, IWM HU 52031
National Archives NARA
BundesarchivSoundtracks from Epidemic Sound:
“Darkness Closing In” – Max Anson
“Epic Adventure Theme 4” – Håkan Eriksson
“Fly Baby Fly” – Fabien Tell
“Force Matrix” – Jon Bjork
“It’s Not a Game” – Philip Ayers
“Last Man Standing 3” – Johannes Bornlöf
“Last Point of Safe Return” – Fabien Tell
“Leave It All Here” – Fabien Tell
“London” – Howard Harper-Barnes
“Moving to Disturbia” – Experia
“Plausible Cause” – Fabien Tell
“Secret Cargo” – Craft Case
“Spy Game” – Jon Sumner
“The End Of The World 2” – Håkan Eriksson
“The Inspector 4” – Johannes Bornlöf
“Weapon of Choice” – Fabien TellA TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.
November 17, 2025
Cyprus on Fire: The 3-Way War That Broke an Empire – W2W 053
Comments Off on Cyprus on Fire: The 3-Way War That Broke an Empire – W2W 053
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