Everything about Fifth Column totally explained
A
fifth column is a group of people who
clandestinely undermine a larger group to which it's expected to be loyal, such as a
nation.
Origin
The term originated with a 1936 radio address by
Emilio Mola, a nationalist 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).
In fact, this supposed "fifth column" didn't 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 resident in the country.
Usage
The term also refers to a subpopulation assumed to have loyalties to countries other than the one in which they reside, or who support some other nation in war efforts against the country they live in. (see
dual loyalty.)
With the grain requisition crises, forced starvation of millions of Ukranians,
famines, troubled economic conditions and international destabilization in the 1930s, 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, which 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.
During
World War II, the
Japanese American internment proceeded in the United States for similar reasons.
German minority organizations in Poland and Czechoslovakia formed the
Selbstschutz, which actively helped the
Third Reich in conquering those nations and engaged in
atrocities. After
1945, this was cited as justification for the
wholesale expulsion of ethnic Germans from
Czechoslovakia,
Poland and the
Soviet Union, including outright annexation of former German territories to these countries.
Modern usage
- Today the term "Fifth column" has a pejorative connotation, whereas partisan can be considered either a positive or negative term. Resistance movements (when the government they live under is clearly an authoritarian dictatorship) are looked upon more favorably than fifth columnists, but it can be argued that there's an overlap between the two. For example, from the point of view of the German occupiers and the Vichy regime, the French Resistance could have been considered "a Fifth column", whereas the members of the resistance itself considered the Vichy collaborators to be in that role.
During wartime, citizens of enemy countries are often held or watched because of concerns that they might be a fifth column. During World War II, enemy aliens and citizens descended of immigrants from enemy countries were interned throughout Allied and Axis countries, from Japan and Japanese-occupied territories such as the Philippines, to India, Canada and Latin America. This was the justification for the Japanese American internment along the West Coast of the United States and the Japanese Canadian internment in British Columbia, Canada. Thousands of German and other enemy nationals were also held by various US authorities.
Irish Catholic residents in the UK have been sometimes seen in this way by unionists due to "The Troubles" of the late 20th century (see also, for example, Guildford Four, Birmingham Six). Around the time of the First World War, President Woodrow Wilson blamed Irish Americans in the Democratic Party for blocking attempts for the USA to ally with the UK. He also accused German Americans of remaining loyal to Germany and denounced what he called "hyphenated Americans" as potentially traitorous.
Koreans in Japan, particularly those affiliated to Chongryun (which is affiliated to the government of North Korea) are also often seen this way by ordinary Japanese, and have been the victims of verbal and physical attacks, more frequently since the government of "Great Leader" Kim Jong Il acknowledged it had abducted Japanese nationals and tested ballistic missiles.
Jews are seen in anti-semitic conspiracy theories as the Fifth Column of a "Jewish Conspiracy." The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, is the most infamous item of this line of thinking.
Politicians who act too accommodating and conciliatory to the enemies of a nation may also be called part of "the fifth column."
Many Israelis, including politicians, rabbis, journalists and historians often refer to the 20-25% minority of Israeli Arabs as being a "fifth column" inside the state of Israel. Further Information
Get more info on 'Fifth Column'.
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