Cyprus in World War II: Politics and Conflict in the Eastern Mediterranean

World War II marked a pivotal point in the history of Cyprus, yet surprisingly, this period of the island's history has been little studied to date. This book explores the shifting landscape of Cypriot affairs during World War II and explores the impact of events during the war on the post-1945 era. Anastasia Yiangou's account traces the lifting of the repressive legislation prevailing during the 1930s, and the appearance of party politics-especially the emergence of a new party of the Left, AKEL-within the island.

For the first time, the development of Cypriot attitudes towards World War II is revealed. The author relates Cypriot developments to the wider region, and above all to dramatic sequences in Greece. The evolution of Left-Right antagonism within the island, as rising trade union activity and AKEL's successes challenged the monopoly of the conservative Right, is seen to have mirrored the genesis of civil war between mainland Greeks.

Anastasia Yiangou pays close attention to the Orthodox Church and its relation to the war effort. She shows that the Church itself was a forum for contested approaches and political objectives. A crucial personality is the Acting Archbishop, Leontios, and the `enigma' of his role-an enigma with its pre-echoes of Archbishop Makarios III-offers an intriguing portrait.

A penetrating light is cast throughout on the connection between World War II and Anglo-Cypriot relations. The book illustrates how anticipations of `loyalty' on the one side, and anticipated `rewards' on the other, subtly moulded an unfolding psychology. The British and the Cypriots are seen to have fought in a great war together-whilst remaining far apart on the future of the island.

Anastasia Yiangou highlights in original and compelling fashion how the triangular pattern of the Cypriot political struggle after 1945 between Left, Right and the British, in which the future of all Cypriots became compromised, was essentially framed by events between 1939 and 1945. In doing so she makes an important contribution to modern Cypriot, colonial and wider Mediterranean history.

Anastasia Yiangou holds a PhD from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London in 2009. She has taught at the University of Cyprus and the European University Cyprus.