What the heck is a "spider hole"?

A spider hole is a camouflaged fox hole. The term alludes to the camouflaged hole constructed by the trapdoor spider. Imagine a tiny one-man foxhole with a disguised lid on it.

The term dates back to at least World War II, when Japanese soldiers used spider holes to set up ambushes. The Viet Cong also used spider holes when fighting off French and US (and Allied) forces.

William Safire said recently on TV that the term refers to the Vietnamese improvement of placing a "clay pot large enough to hold a crouching man" in the hole. If the pot broke, the man was exposed to attack from snakes or spiders, hence the name "spider hole".

Safire's explanation is weak: the Viet Cong were quite accustomed to using tunnels, catacombs, and spider holes; poisonous critters went with the territory. Besides, the term turns up in WWII literature - sans clay pot. Also - think about it - how would you keep a spider out of an underground pot? I suspect that Safire wasn't there. It's not as if Safire isn't wrong more than he realizes. That happens when one keeps his head up one's, um, lower alimentary canal.

Why would the term apply to Saddam Hussein's hideout? The bunker in which he was caught had a small opening with camouflaged lid. No doubt that brought back memories for Viet Nam vets - or soldiers who had been trained by Viet Nam vets - in Iraq.

Now you know.

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