Editing EOKA (section)

=== From April 1955 to the dismissal of governor Armitage  (October) ===
The armed struggle started on the night of 29 March – April 1955. A total of 18 bomb attacks occurred in various locations across the island. Most notable incidents were those of Nicosia by the group of [[Markos Drakos (EOKA fighter)|Markos Drakos]] as well as the demolition of the Cyprus Broadcasting Station's transmitter.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=95}}{{sfn|French|2015|p=71}}{{sfn|Richter|2011|p=250}} The attacks were accompanied by a revolutionary proclamation signed by "The leader, Digenes". Grivas decided to keep his involvement secret at the moment and used the name of a Byzantine general who had defended Cyprus in the medieval era.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=95}} Grivas also prohibited attacks on the Turkish Cypriots at the time, and only wanted British soldiers and Greek collaborators to be targeted.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Ağır|first=Ülkü|title=Pogrom in Istanbul, 6./7. September 1955: Die Rolle der türkischen Presse in einer kollektiven Plünderungs- und Vernichtungshysterie|publisher=Klaus Schwarz Verlag|year=2014|isbn=978-3-87997-439-9|edition=1|location=Berlin|pages=161|language=de}}</ref> The British, not expecting this turn of events, reinforced their local military bases (Dhekelia and Akrotiri) by transferring troops from Egypt.{{sfn|Richter|2011|p=250}}

At the end of April EOKA attacks temporarily paused, giving time to Grivas to organize the youth.{{sfn|Richter|2011|p=254|ps=: ANE (Valiant Youth of EOKA), a pupil's group was created, ANE had a branch in every school.}} A second offensive was launched on 19 June with coordinated bomb and grenade attacks against police stations, military installations and the homes of army officers and senior officials.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=97}}{{sfn|Richter|2011|p=257-8}}{{sfn|French|2015|p=72}} One of those bombings demolished the building of the Famagusta Police headquarters.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=97}} Those attacks were usually followed by sporadic incidents: shootings, bombings and increased public disorder.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=97}} This second wave of EOKA attacks lasted until the end of June, totaling 204 attacks since the beginning of the armed resistance.{{sfn|Richter|2011|p=259}}{{sfn|French|2015|p=76}}

In August, two Special Branch members were assassinated in separate incidents. The raising of the Greek flag during demonstrations usually led to clashes with the colonial authorities, the latter removing it by force if necessary.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=97}} Another major EOKA success was the escape from Kyrenia castle prison of 16 EOKA members including a number of key figures, such as Markos Drakos and [[Grigoris Afxentiou]].{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=97}}

==== British reactions ====
The situation seemed to be deteriorating out of control and the British authorities attempted to safeguard their position in Cyprus by diplomatic maneuvering and a counterinsurgency offensive. The first involved playing the Greek and Turkish governments off against each other. Eden saw Turkey as "the key protecting British interests" in Cyprus.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=97}} By the end of September, as the crisis was escalating, the British Government decided to replace [[Robert Perceval Armitage|governor Armitage]].{{sfn|French|2015|p=82}}  Then, British policy also aimed at the dramatic increase in recruitment of Turkish Cypriots.<ref name=":0" /> By the start of 1956, they had come to dominate the police force numbering 4,000 compared to less than 1,000 Greek Cypriots. The Turkish Cypriots were very much in the front line against EOKA. Inevitably, the use of Turkish Cypriot policemen against the Greek Cypriot community exacerbated relations between the two communities.{{sfn|Newsinger|2016|p=101}}

==== Turkish reactions ====
In August 1955, [[Adnan Menderes]], the then [[Turkish prime minister]], announced that Turkey would not accept any changes in the status of Cyprus that were not in Turkey's interests.<ref name=":1">Ağır, Ülkü (2014), pp.162–163</ref> In Turkey, public opinion was inflamed. Rumours spread in Turkish media that a slaughter of the Turkish Cypriot community was likely to occur; these were not totally unfounded, for in that June there had been a huge bomb explosion in the Turkish section of Nicosia,<ref>"BOMB INCIDENTS ON CYPRUS", ''The Canberra Times'', 22 June 1955. p. 1. Retrieved 8 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.</ref><ref> "CYPRUS OUTRAGES", ''The Central Queensland Herald'', Rockhampton, Qld. 23 June 1955. p. 5. Retrieved 8 November 2015 – via National Library of Australia.</ref> and Turkish Cypriot community leader [[Fazil Kucuk]] began receiving death threats.<ref>"Cilgin Turkler", Turgut Ozakman, Bilgi Basimevi, 2012, p. 71</ref>  The increased tensions led to nationalist reactions in the country and the government-sponsored anti-Greek [[Istanbul pogrom]] of September 1955.{{sfn|Richter|2011|pp=315–321}} At the same time, during the London Trilateral Conference between Britain, Turkey and Greece, an agreement failed to materialize due to Turkish concerns that what Greece meant by self-determination was an eventual annexation.<ref>"Cilgin Turkler", Turgut Ozakman, Bilgi Basimevi, 2012, p. 75</ref>{{sfn|Richter|2011|pp=299 & 313}}{{sfn|Holland|1998|p=73}} During a meeting between the end of August and 7 September 1955, Turkey also argued that if the status of Cyprus under a British administration would not be respected, the whole [[Treaty of Lausanne]] would be questionable.<ref name=":1" />