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von Poop · 15-09-2008, 11:25 AM

I felt sure there was a thread a long while back asking about this, but as I can't find it - this is from Beevor's Spanish Civil war book:

"The 'fifth column' was a phrase attributed to General Mola, who apparently claimed to a journalist that he had four columns attacking the capital [Madrid] and a 'fifth column' of sympathisers within the city ready to revolt".

Has anybody come across a different etymology for the term?

Cheers,
Adam.

15-09-2008, 11:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 8,755	Origin of The 5th Column? I felt sure there was a thread a long while back asking about this, but as I can't find it - this is from Beevor's Spanish Civil war book: "The 'fifth column' was a phrase attributed to General Mola, who apparently claimed to a journalist that he had four columns attacking the capital [Madrid] and a 'fifth column' of sympathisers within the city ready to revolt". Has anybody come across a different etymology for the term? Cheers, Adam. __________________ It's only the Internet.