Turncoat Facts for Kids

For the 2009 urban fantasy novel, see Turn Coat. For the Legends of Tomorrow episode, see Turncoat (Legends of Tomorrow).

A turncoat is a person who changes their allegiance or loyalty. They switch from one side or group to another, often betraying their original cause. This is different from being a traitor because a turncoat's switch often happens when:

Many people in a group change sides together, often led by someone.
The original goal or belief no longer seems possible or costs too much to achieve.

Imagine soldiers in a battle. Armies usually wear different colored uniforms to avoid accidentally shooting their own friends. The term "turncoat" comes from the idea that someone changed their uniform coat to match the color of their former enemies. For example, during the English Civil War in the 1600s, Oliver Cromwell's soldiers sometimes turned their coats inside out to look like the Royal army's colors.

What is a Turncoat?
- Understanding the Term
Why Do People Become Turncoats?
- Changing Sides in Difficult Times
What Happens After Someone Becomes a Turncoat?
- Dealing with the Past
Famous Examples of Turncoats
See also

What is a Turncoat?

Understanding the Term

The word "turncoat" means someone who switches their loyalty. It's often used when people change their political party or their support for a cause. The first time this word was written down with this meaning was in 1570.

The idea of "turning a coat" might also come from a more literal meaning. In old times, knights wore coats with their family's symbols, called coats of arms. If a knight changed which lord they supported, they might have literally "turned their coat" from one lord's symbol to another's.

Why Do People Become Turncoats?

Changing Sides in Difficult Times

Sometimes, a lot of people in a country might change their loyalty all at once. This can happen during a military occupation, after a country loses a war, or after a big event like a revolution. When times are scary and uncertain, people might switch sides just to survive. They might not even know much about the new group taking over.

Often, leaders are the first to change their loyalties. This is because they might have special information and realize that their old cause is hopeless. This is especially true in dictatorships or authoritarian countries. In these places, people are often fed only propaganda (one-sided information) and don't know what's really happening.

What Happens After Someone Becomes a Turncoat?

Dealing with the Past

After people embrace a new way of life, they often want to hide or rewrite their past actions. They might try to hide evidence of what they did before. This is because turncoats often fear that their past will upset their new stability.

Sometimes, the past is "whitewashed" or made to look better than it was. This can lead to the falsification of history, meaning that historical events are changed or made untrue. Even after a turncoat dies, their family might want to keep secrets from the past hidden. They might worry about losing respect or want to protect the person's memory.

In some countries, groups and individuals have worked hard to investigate the past. They try to make sure that turncoats face the consequences of their actions.

Famous Examples of Turncoats

Throughout history, there have been many examples of people who changed their loyalties:

English Civil War (17th Century): During the siege of Corfe Castle, Oliver Cromwell's soldiers won by turning their coats inside out. This made them look like the Royal army, confusing their enemies.
American Revolution: Benedict Arnold was a high-ranking general in the American army. But in May 1779, he switched sides and joined the British.
War of 1812 (Canada): Some Canadians believed that a republic (like the U.S.) was better than the British monarchy. They fought alongside the invading Americans against the British.
Germany and Austria after World War II: After the war, many people who had strongly supported the Nazi Party quickly embraced the new nations of West Germany or East Germany. They tried to hide or minimize their past roles as Nazis. Over time, many former Nazis even gained important positions in the new governments. For example, Kurt Waldheim, an Austrian who had been a Nazi, became the Secretary-General of the United Nations and later the President of Austria.
France after the Vichy Regime: After the Vichy Regime fell (a government that worked with Nazi Germany during World War II), many people who had supported it played down their involvement.
Iran after the Shah's Overthrow: When the last Shah of Iran, Mohammed Reza Pahlavi, was overthrown, many people who had lived a modern, non-religious life and supported the monarchy suddenly became strong supporters of the new religious government led by Ayatollah Khomeini.
Russia and Eastern Europe after the USSR: After the fall of the USSR (Soviet Union), many former communists quickly became strong supporters of capitalism. Many left the Communist Party of the Soviet Union to take roles in the new governments.
Spain: People changed sides during and after the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), and again during Spain's move to democracy (1975 onwards).

Turncoat facts for kids

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