From the Publisher
"Robert Loeffel's book demonstrates how fear, anxiety, suspicion, rumours and innuendo, often with little or no basis in fact, drove ideas of a 'fifth column' in Australia during the Second World War. By providing wide ranging coverage of the Fifth Column in the Second World War and by centring these events in the context of developments before the war, Robert Loeffel makes a significant contribution to our understanding of this important, but often overlooked, part of Australia's war history. Based on wide ranging national and international sources from archival documents to books and films, Loeffel's work provides excellent coverage of this important part of Australia's home front story during the Second World War." Peter J Dean, Director of Studies, Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian National University
"Robert Loeffel has pulled off an impressive feat in telling the story of an influential chimera. He traces the history of something that never actually existed in Australia the 'Fifth Column' and shows how fear of it nevertheless affected Australia's political and military leaders throughout the Second World War." - Peter Stanley, University of New South Wales, Canberra, Australia
