Essential Question: What were the legacies of the Nuremberg trials? Legacy of Nuremberg Essential Question: What were the legacies of the Nuremberg trials?

Nuremberg Trials The International Military Tribunal of 1946, convened by the U.S., British, French and Soviets, which convicted the major Nazi leaders who survived World War II Twelve cases tried by U.S. military tribunals at Nuremberg from1946-9 of groups of doctors, lawyers, industrialists, and more.

1st Nuremberg Trial 2 sets of trials to prosecute members of the Nazi Party for War Crimes. 1st: It was entitled the Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal, which tried the 21 most important leaders of Nazi Germany. began on November 20, 1945.

1. Count One: “conspiracy to wage aggressive war,” addressed crimes committed before the war officially began. 2. Count Two: “waging an aggressive war,” addressed the undertaking of war in violation of international treaties. 3. Count Three: “war crimes,” addressed more traditional violations of the laws of war, including the killing or mistreatment of prisoners of war and the use of outlawed weapons. 4. Count Four: “crimes against humanity,” addressed the crimes committed against Jews, ethnic minorities, physically and mentally disabled persons, civilians in occupied countries, and others.

2nd Nuremberg Trial 2nd: for lesser war criminals, was conducted under Control Council Law No. 10, at the U.S. Nuremberg Military Tribunals.

“I was just following orders”

“That was the tragedy. Not that one man had the courage to be evil “That was the tragedy. Not that one man had the courage to be evil. But that millions had not the courage to be good.” John Fowles

Shortcomings First time Ad hoc – for a particular purpose Need a permanent tribunal to be effective, not subject to political whims and current politics Not all sides were investigated Victors’ justice Retrospective Law-making Superior Orders E.g. Malmedy Massacre – POW’s shot during the Battle of the Bulge

Results: 18 defendants were convicted on one or more counts and three were found not guilty. 11 were sentenced to death by hanging. 3 were acquitted And others were given prison sentences of 10 to 15 years, or life imprisonment..

Ten men were hanged in November 1946 Ten men were hanged in November 1946. One of those sentenced to death committed suicide just hours before his scheduled execution

Legacy International Law Human Rights & Genocide Conventions Code of Medical Ethics Enforcement Mechanisms & Tribunals Models of Bringing Individual Perpetrators to Justice Deportations to Home Countries for Justice Vocabulary: War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide, Truth and Reconciliation Commission Models: International Criminal Court, War Crimes Trials, Truth and Reconciliation Commission

from his opening statement The wrongs which we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so malignant, and so devastating, that civilization cannot tolerate their being ignored, because it cannot survive their being repeated. … Justice Jackson from his opening statement

Substantive Innovations Established Crimes Against Humanity as a charge: mass crimes – murder, torture, (rape) Established Crime of Genocide A new order of magnitude Was not a charge but was being articulated by a man named Raphael Lemkin

Never Again?

Genocides Continue Armenia East Timor Sudan Europe Uganda ?? Indonesia Iraq ?? Burundi Yugoslavia Bangladesh Rwanda Uganda Cambodia