Johann Hunt
Across the centuries, Americans from all backgrounds have faced accusations of betraying their nation. Some were tried and convicted, while others never saw a courtroom. Yet each case captured national attention. Read on to uncover 10 stories where personal convictions clashed with public duty, and history delivered its own, often unforgiving, judgment.
Benedict Arnold: The Revolutionâs Greatest Defection
Before switching sides, Arnold was a respected Revolutionary War general. In 1780, he conspired to hand West Point to the British. The betrayal failed, but Arnold still defected and fought against his former comrades. He passed away in London, his name forever equated with treason.
Aaron Burr: Vice President On Trial For Treason
While still basking in the prestige of his duel with Hamilton, Burr was taken into custody for plotting to seize Western territory. Tried in 1807, he was acquitted but not forgiven. The scandal exiled him politically and geographically, turning a former vice president into a national outcast.
Robert E. Lee: Indicted For Treason, But Never Tried
Lee led the Confederate military effort but chose not to flee after surrendering. Although indicted for treason, the prosecution never pursued the case. He urged reconciliation and lived quietly in Virginia. Decades later, his citizenship was posthumously restored, igniting new debates over legacy and historical accountability.
Mildred Gillars: The Woman Behind âAxis Sallyâ
She didnât pull a trigger, but her words wounded morale. Mildred Gillars delivered Nazi propaganda over German airwaves, targeting American troops. In 1949, she became the first U.S. woman convicted of treason. She later taught languages, but her wartime broadcasts defined her life.
Douglas Chandler: American Voice For Nazi Radio
Douglas Chandler was once a contributor to well-regarded publications, but during World War II, he took a darker turn. Adopting the alias âPaul Revere,â he broadcast Axis propaganda aimed at shaking American morale. Captured in 1947, he was convicted of treason and sentenced to life in prison. Eventually paroled and deported, Chandler never returnedâneither to the United States nor to the trust he had once held.
Julius Rosenberg: The Most Famous American Spy Execution
In a conflict climate thick with fear, Julius Rosenberg stood accused of leaking nuclear secrets to the Soviets. A U.S. Army employee, he faced trial and execution in 1953. His demise, alongside Ethelâs, fueled controversy that still divides legal scholars and the public.
John Walker Lindh: The âAmerican Talibanâ
Lindhâs arrest shocked the nation. Captured with Taliban forces in Afghanistan, the Californian teen faced fierce legal and cultural backlash. He served 17 years for aiding the enemy. Upon release in 2019, he left prison for a country still wrestling with his choices.
Iva Toguri DâAquino: The Real âTokyo Roseâ
She stood behind a microphone, not a weapon. Iva Toguri broadcast for Japan during WWII, but claimed she resisted sabotage. Convicted of treason, she served time before a presidential pardon cleared her name. Years later, many believed she was more a victim than a villain.
Tomoya Kawakita: The Traitor In The Mines
An American by birth, Tomoya Kawakita aided Japan during World War II by working as an interpreter at a mining company that used U.S. POWs as forced labor. He was convicted of treason in 1948, and the Supreme Court upheld his conviction in 1952. After serving time, he was deported to Japan in 1963.
Adam Gadahn: The First Treason Indictment Since WWII
Gadahn didnât just join Al-Qaedaâhe became its American voice. Raised on a California goat farm, he crafted English-language jihadist videos. The FBI indicted him for treason in 2006. In 2015, a drone strike ended his life, closing one of Americaâs most modern treason chapters.