Emilio Mola

Lore & Background

Emilio Mola was born in Placetas, Cuba, then a Spanish province, to a Civil Guard captain father and a mother of Catalan origin. During the Second Republic, Mola was arrested and indicted for his actions as Director-General of Security, but was eventually exonerated. After being placed in the Second Reserve, he wrote a chess manual under a pseudonym and three volumes of memoirs criticizing the government. He returned to active service in 1934 and became commander of Spanish troops in Morocco by 1935. He doubted the coup's success and considered fleeing to France. After Sanjurjo's death, Mola commanded the north and praised Madrid sympathizers as a 'fifth column'. He died in a plane crash in bad weather; sabotage was suspected but never proven.

Reader's Guide

Emilio Mola's significance lies in his role as a primary architect of the military uprising that ignited the Spanish Civil War. As 'the Director' of the conspiracy, he coordinated the rebellion across Spain and developed a detailed post-coup plan for an authoritarian state. Mola is also historically notable for popularizing the term 'fifth column' to describe clandestine supporters within enemy territory. His legacy is intertwined with the brutalization of Spanish society during the war, as reflected in his writings about his African campaigns. The unresolved suspicion of sabotage surrounding his death adds a layer of intrigue to his historical narrative.

Did You Know?

• Mola coined the phrase 'fifth column' to describe Nationalist sympathizers in Madrid during the siege.
• He wrote a chess manual under the pseudonym W. Hooper despite not being a chess player, basing it on other manuals.
• His maternal uncle Leoncio Vidal was a leading revolutionary fighter in the Cuban War of Independence.
• Mola's death in a plane crash was suspected to be sabotage, though never proven.