Fifty-one years ago today, on August 16, 1974 (June 29, 1974 lunar calendar), Turkey invaded Cyprus. Turkish Tanks Invaded Cyprus On August 16, 1974, when the victorious Turkish invaders cut the island in half, tens of thousands of refugees filled the roads of Cyprus. The northern end, which accounts for one-third of the island, is controlled by 30,000 Turkish forces. The situation in Cyprus has divided the North Atlantic alliance. Greece withdrew its troops from the coalition on Wednesday, complaining that its NATO partners were not helping to deal with the Turks. Greek Prime Minister Konstantin Karamanlis rejected Turkey's request to resume Cyprus peace talks in Geneva on the evening of the 16th. He also rejected an invitation from US President George Ford to visit Washington. Karamanlis's suggestion that Greece should "negotiate under the pressure of a fait accompli" is absurd. US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said he would be willing to visit Cyprus and help arrange a political settlement. The island has been in turmoil since Cyprus gained independence from British rule in 1960. Greek and Turkish Cypriots have been fighting on the island for most of the past decade. Greeks outnumber Turks by a ratio of 4:1 or 5:1, and now thousands of Greeks are trapped behind the Turkish front at the northern tip. Likewise, many Turkish Cypriots are isolated in the south. They are trying to move north. The Turkish front divides the capital, Nicosia, in half. Heavy fighting along the Greek side of the Nicosia front did not subside until a cease-fire went into effect. Five UN peacekeepers were killed in the fighting.