Selling atomic secrets to the Russians during the Cold War is about as treasonous as it gets: The Rosenbergs were a married couple willing to do anything to uphold their communist beliefs.
Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were openly committed to the Communist Party until 1943, when they suddenly withdrew from any political activity: that was the year they teamed up with the Soviet super-spy Feliksov.
After that, Julius Rosenberg was seriously involved in espionage against the American government: he played the role of a mule for the exchange of secret information with the Russians and sought new recruits to betray and spy on the USSR. He was arrested one morning in 1950 while shaving his face.
4. Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold was an American general who served the cause of the American Revolution until he decided to switch allegiance to the British. Born in Connecticut in January 1741, he came from a troubled family where his family struggled to survive poverty and hardship. Always known as a troublemaker, he grew up to become a prominent figure in the army, where he trained soldiers and planned attacks.
From an early start as a war hero and patriot, Arnold planned to surrender the American fort at West Point, New York, to British forces during the American Revolution. His plot failed, and he was forced to escape by sea, under cover of darkness, to Britain, where he was not at all welcome: neither did they believe in a man who would so easily betray his country. He died in poverty in Canada in 1801.
3. Aldrich Ames
Ames entered the Soviet embassy in Washington in 1985 and offered to sell American secrets for only one reason: money. He was an alcoholic with a very expensive second wife, a woman named Rosario, and burned his CIA paychecks with alarming frequency.
In order to give the woman he loved the lifestyle she demanded, he was willing to do a lot of damage to the US government: by revealing the names of American spies and other counterintelligence information, he compromised more than 100 US military operations.
Thanks to Aldritch, who earned an estimated $4.6 million for his efforts, 10 Americans were executed for "blowing" the cover-up. Over time, he revealed the name of every US agent operating against the USSR. His lavish lifestyle raised red flags for the CIA, and he was arrested and sentenced to life in prison: his wife, Rosario, was deported to South America.
2. Vidkun Quisling
Considered a mad right-winger in his native Norway, Quisling remained largely ignored until he founded the National Unity Party in 1933. He adored Hitler and firmly believed in the doctrine of fascism. Military General Quisling met with Hitler and made sure he had all the information he needed about Norway's military strategy so that Hitler could invade Norway.
When the Germans invaded, Quisling was appointed prime minister as the deposed government officials scattered and fled trying to survive. Norwegian citizens were disgusted by his appointment and revolted until he was forced to resign. Nevertheless, Hitler restored it in November. A failed and weak politician, Quisling often made a fool of himself, even in the eyes of his Nazi collaborators. After the German surrender in Norway, Quisling was tried and convicted for the death of 1,000 Jews, among other war crimes. He was executed in 1945.
1. Judas Iscariot
According to the Bible, Satan entered into Judas before handing over the Messiah's son to the Roman authorities. This notorious member of the twelve apostles betrayed his friend only for money—thirty pieces of silver. Judas gave a special signal to the authorities to reveal the identity of Jesus Christ: he would kiss him to identify Jesus Christ. This "Kiss of Judas" led to persecution and death by the crucifixion of the Son of God, and puts Judas Iscariot at number one as the most infamous traitor in human history: Judas died shortly after his spectacular act of covetousness.
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