Treason

Treason is when a person acts against his/ her country. For example, somebody might help another country fight a war against or loot his country by keeping secrets or failing to protect his country. In history, treason has often included the assassination of leaders. Treason against the king was called high treason and treason against a lesser role was called petty treason. A treasonous person is called a traitor.

Outside the field of law, the word "traitor" can be used to describe a person who betrays a group to which he or she belongs. These accusations can often be unclear when the accused do not consider themselves to be in the group.

Some famous traitors are Judas Iscariot, Marcus Junius Brutus, Benedict Arnold, Philippe Pétain, La Malinche and Vidkun Quisling.

Persons accused of treason can be many. During the Reign of Terror many thousands were executed as traitors. After World War II many thousands of Soviet soldiers who had been prisoners of war were immediately sent to Gulag as traitors.