70 years of the Cyprus Mail: The archives of 1974

The focus of the Cyprus Mail’s 70th anniversary archive uploads over the coming weeks is 1974.

With the death of General Grivas in January 1974, relations between the Greek-run National Guard and President Makarios became increasingly bitter and Makarios’ denunciations of the Greek government ever more strident. On July 15, the Greek-backed coup attempt against Makarios took place, swiftly followed by the two waves of the Turkish invasion.

Like all other newspapers in Cyprus, the Cyprus Mail was unable to print for much of the second half of July or the first half of August, which means our day-to-day coverage of events was limited.

New archive material is uploaded every Wednesday and Saturday.The archives can be accessed by clicking on the link beneath the Cyprus Mail 70th anniversary logo on the right of the webpage.

Saturday’s highlights

  • The American ambassador in Nicosia Rodger Davies is shot and killed during an anti-American demonstration. President Clerides describes it as an ‘abominable act’ – August 22, 1974

  • ‘Expulsion by force and terror’: Government accuses Turkey of expelling thousands of people in territory under its control. Work starts on new refugee camps – August 29, 1974

  • More sick and wounded exchanged: Prisoners of war exchange take place at Ledra Palace Hotel. Over 4,000 prisoners remain – September 22, 1974

    website logo copy 5

    • The Cyprus Mail is the only English-language daily newspaper published in Cyprus. It was established in 1945 and today, with its popular and widely-read website, the Cyprus Mail is among the most trusted news sites in Cyprus. The newspaper is not affiliated with any political parties and has always striven to maintain its independence. Over the past 70-plus years, the Cyprus Mail, with a small dedicated team, has covered momentous events in Cyprus’ modern history, chronicling the last gasps of British colonial rule, Cyprus’ truncated independence, the coup and Turkish invasion, and the decades of negotiations to stitch the divided island back together, plus a myriad of scandals, murders, and human interests stories that capture the island and its -people. Observers describe it as politically conservative.