Plural of desertion; the act of abandoning a person, place, or duty, especially when someone leaves military service without permission.
From 'desertion,' which comes from Latin 'desertus' (abandoned). The word evolved from general abandonment to have specific military meaning where soldiers leaving their posts faced serious punishment.
During wars, desertion was treated as one of the worst crimes—soldiers could face execution. Yet desertions increased dramatically in unpopular wars; tens of thousands of Americans deserted during the Vietnam War, revealing how individual conscience clashes with military duty.
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