Benedict Arnold

Originally Aired: April 2, 1940 Cavalcade of America #181, "Benedict Arnold," stars Claude Rains as the controversial Revolutionary War general whose legacy remains one of America's greatest contradictions. Following his heroic victory at the Battle of Saratoga, Arnold recuperates at his sister Hannah's home in New Haven, only to discover that Congress has promoted five junior officers to major general while passing him over. Despite Hannah's warnings about his dangerous pride and refusal to cooperate with superiors, Arnold confronts General Washington about the slight. Washington, recognizing Arnold's military genius despite his difficult temperament, appoints him military governor of Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, Arnold hosts a lavish ball where he courts the beautiful Peggy Shippen, a young woman previously courted by British Captain John Andre. As Arnold proposes marriage and promises Peggy a future as bright as the sun, tensions mount with President Reed and the Pennsylvania Council over Arnold's imperious conduct and suspected profiteering. The episode traces the early stages of Arnold's transformation from war hero to potential traitor, examining how ambition, wounded pride, and personal conflicts begin to erode his loyalty to the American cause.