Historiographic works offer differing perspectives on authorship of the term. Many scholars have no doubt about Mola's role and refer to "fifth column" as to "a term coined in 1936 by General Emilio Mola", though they admit that the exact statement cannot be identified. In some sources Mola is noted as a person who used the term during an impromptu press interview, and different though detailed versions of the exchange are offered. Probably the most popular version refers the theory of Mola's authorship with a grade of doubt, either noting that it is presumed but never proven or that the phrase "is attributed" to Mola, who "apparently claimed" so, or they note "la famosa quinta columna a la que parece que se había referido el general Mola." Some authors consider it possible if not likely that the term has been invented by the Communist propaganda with the purpose of either raising morale or providing justification for terror and repression; initially it might have been part of the whispering campaign, but was later openly floated by Communist propagandists. There are also other theories afloat.