To Stay or Not to Stay; That is the Question: Cyprus and the Official Mind of Imperialism in the Postwar World (1945-1955)

Abstract

The study examines the differing points of view of the British Colonial Office, the Foreign Office, and to a lesser extent the Chiefs of Staff in discussion of the future of Cyprus after World War II. Relying largely on documents in Britain's Public Record Office, the study points out the contrast in the plans the ministries had for Cyprus. Ideas and mind sets are examined more than the actions those ideas brought about, and the study uses examples from the wartime period to set the intellectual stage for discussion in the immediate postwar period. After outlining the differing points of view of the ministries, the study concentrates on the Colonial Office quest for a firm statement of British intent to remain in Cyprus. It examines the ultimate futility of such a statement which neither ended ministerial debate on the future of the island nor fully considered conditions on the island.