I was just talking to someone about this. The level of commitment and insanity true believers have is astounding. There are genuine unapologetic Stalinist around today and that blows my mind.

I wonder if they, the "traitors", thought themselves martyrs who may have said or done something against the party and thus deserved it. Or, as you said, it was simply a mistake but a justified one.

I need to re-read Darkness at Noon.