stab-in-the-back myth

1. historicalThe Dolchstoßlegende: a widespread historical conspiracy theory in right-wing circles in Germany after 1918, claiming that Germany did not lose World War I militarily and capitulated needlessly after having been betrayed by civilian leaders (especially Communists).

plural stab-in-the-back myths

1. broadlyAny denialist myth misattributing failure to internal betrayal.

   That is the process we are witnessing now: the steady nurturing of a stab-in-the-back myth for Brexit. History suggests that this hunt for the wielder of the treacherous dagger will only get nastier.

   2023 May 19, Jonathan Freedland, “They’re openly saying it: Brexit has failed. But what comes next may be very dark indeed”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   2 more examples

   Aside from the Cantonese stab-in-the-back myth mentioned earlier, the most up-to-date and authoritative Chinese sources of information on Western affairs then available reinforced arguments in favor of jōi.

   2004, Joshua A. Fogel, Late Qing China and Meiji Japan: Political & Cultural Aspects, Signature Books, page 10

   After World War I, when Germany humiliated itself in a war that it started, right-wing populists embraced the Dolchstoßlegende, or stab-in-the-back myth, blaming Jews for their country’s defeat. Now, as the American right contemplates the entirely foreseeable catastrophe that an unbridled Trump has visited on America, some are creating a new stab-in-the-back myth about Zionism to make sense of it.

   2026 April 24, Michelle Goldberg, “The Conspiracy Theory Behind Tucker Carlson’s Apology”, in The New York Times, →ISSN