Fifth column
Meaning
A group of people within a country or organization who are secretly working to aid an enemy or opposing force from within.
Origin
In 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Nationalist General Emilio Mola was leading four columns of troops toward Madrid. When asked which column would take the city, Mola famously declared that a "fifth column" of sympathetic supporters and saboteurs was already inside Madrid, working to undermine the Republican government from within. This chilling declaration, broadcast over radio, quickly captured the global imagination and became a stark metaphor for any group secretly aiding an enemy from within a besieged state or organization, forever linking the phrase to covert subversion.
Examples
- The dictator feared that a fifth column was undermining his regime by spreading misinformation and inciting rebellion.
- Security services were tasked with identifying any potential fifth columnists who might be leaking sensitive information to rival corporations.