fifth column

A fifth column is a group of people who clandestinely undermine a larger group, such as a nation, from within, to the aid of an external enemy.

Origin

The term originated with a 1936 radio address by Emilio Mola, an insurgent general during the 1936–39 Spanish Civil War. As his army approached Madrid, he broadcast a message that the four columns of his forces outside the city would be supported by a "fifth column" of his supporters inside the city, intent on undermining the Republican government from within (see Siege of Madrid).^[1]

In fact, this supposed "fifth column" did not prove very effective, as evidenced by the fact that Madrid held out until 1939 despite very heavy fighting. Nevertheless, the term caught on and was used extensively, especially by those fighting the Fascists and Nazis. It was especially in wide use in Britain in the early stages of the Second World War. There, fear of the "fifth Column" was used as justification for the mass internment, on the Isle of Man, of German nationals who resided in the United Kingdom. The United States also interned Japanese citizens around the same time using similar justification.

Usage

With the grain requisition crises, famines, troubled economic conditions and international destabilization in the 1930s, the leaders of the Soviet Union became increasingly worried about the possible disloyalty of diaspora ethnic groups with cross-border ties (especially Finns, Germans and Poles), residing along its western borders; this eventually led to the start of Stalin's repressive policies towards them, most notably to the national operations of the NKVD and forced population transfer.^[2]

In Europe German minority organisations in Poland and Czechoslovakia formed the Selbstschutz, which actively helped the Third Reich in conquering those nations. After 1945, this was cited as justification for the wholesale expulsion of ethnic Germans from Czechoslovakia, Poland and the Soviet Union, as well as the return to these countries of territories which had been annexed by Germany.

Modern usage

• North Koreans in Japan, particularly those affiliated to Chongryun (which is affiliated to the government of North Korea) may sometimes be seen this way by some Japanese, and have been the victims of verbal and physical attacks, more frequently since the government of Kim Jong Il acknowledged it had abducted Japanese nationals and tested ballistic missiles.^[3]
• Some Israelis, including politicians,^{[4] [5]} rabbis,^[6] journalists ^[7] and historians ^[8] have referred to the 20% of Israel's population who are Arab as being a "fifth column" inside the State of Israel as Arab Israelis usually identify more with the Palestinian cause than the Israeli cause. ^{[9] [10] [11]}

See also

• State within a state
• Deep state
• Eurabia
• Quisling
• Resistance movement
• Sixth Column

References

• "The Saturnalia" ǢBKLYN ŁCA ŶBEIJING: 5th Column Ministry of Info, 1900
• "The German Fifth Column in Poland" London: Polish Ministry of Info, 1941
• "Fifth Column at Work" by Bohumil Bilek, description of German minority in Czechoslovakia, London, Trinity, 1945.
• "The German Fifth Column in the Second World War" Jong, Louis de New York Fertig, 1973
• "The Fifth Column, and Four Stories of the Spanish Civil War" New York Scribner, 1969
• Dr. Seuss Goes to War: The World War II Editorial Cartoons of Theodor Seuss Geisel, a selection with commentary by Richard Minnear (New Press, 2001; ISBN 1-56584-704-0).

Notes

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