Origin of The 5th Column?

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.

Capt.Sensible · 15-09-2008, 04:38 PM

Casual searching of the interweb hasn't found a a different etymology but it seems to have 'evolved' quite rapidly. Wingate appears to have used the term in about 1943 to refer to disruptive activites behind enemy lines: a significant difference to the context of the Spanish Civil War:
Fire in the night, Colin Smith, war correspondent, expert on military history

phylo_roadking · 27-10-2008, 03:57 AM

Also definitely used post-Dunkirk in British broadcasting, and commonly by Churchill in parliament and speeches. See Peter Fleming's "Operation Sealion" for details of the "Fifth Column Scare" of the summer of 1940

15-09-2008, 11:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
von Poop I Like Tanks Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Perfidious Albion. Posts: 8,471	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.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

15-09-2008, 04:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
Capt.Sensible Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Directly above the centre of the earth... Posts: 407	Casual searching of the interweb hasn't found a a different etymology but it seems to have 'evolved' quite rapidly. Wingate appears to have used the term in about 1943 to refer to disruptive activites behind enemy lines: a significant difference to the context of the Spanish Civil War: Fire in the night, Colin Smith, war correspondent, expert on military history

27-10-2008, 03:57 AM	#3 (permalink)
phylo_roadking Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: feels like Brigadoon! Posts: 92	Also definitely used post-Dunkirk in British broadcasting, and commonly by Churchill in parliament and speeches. See Peter Fleming's "Operation Sealion" for details of the "Fifth Column Scare" of the summer of 1940

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)