Sabotage, << SAB uh tahzh, >> is any means of deliberately wasting or damaging the tools, machinery, or production of an employer or government. The word originated in the 1800’s when French workers would throw their sabots (wooden shoes) into machines to halt production. In Spain, France, and Italy, sabotage was used by the syndicalists, members of anarchist trade unions.
In wartime, sabotage by trained agents called saboteurs is a means of damaging war production and communications in enemy countries. Enemy attempts at sabotage against the United States have never caused important damage to U.S. war efforts.
Since World War II ended in 1945, a number of countries have used sabotage in covert (secret) wars to intimidate or overthrow other governments. Such sabotage sometimes begins as an extension of intelligence activities between hostile states that are formally at peace (see Intelligence service ).
