Nuremberg Trials Notes

By December 1945, the Allies managed to halt the last German military offensives.
Russian forces invading from the east captured Berlin in April 1945.
American forces pushing from the west linked up with the Russians outside Berlin by the end of April.
The last German forces in Italy surrendered by May.

Yalta Conference (Crimea, Feb. 1945):
- The US, UK, and USSR agreed to accept only an unconditional German surrender.
- Germany would be demilitarized and divided into Allied-occupied zones.
- All traces of the Nazi party would be removed from Germany.
Potsdam Conference (Germany, Apr. 1945):
- All German territories captured during the war were to be returned to prewar status.
- Germany would be demilitarized, and the Nazi party would be wiped from existence.
- Austria and Germany would be divided into Allied zones of military occupation.
- All German potential industrial means for militaristic production were to be dismantled.

The London Charter was signed in London on August 8, 1945.
Signed by the leaders of Britain, France, the Soviet Union, and the US.
Led to the creation of the International Military Tribunal (IMT), and each nation appointed a judge.
The IMT defined crimes against humanity as "murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation…or persecutions on political, racial, or religious grounds."

A series of 13 trials occurred between 1945-1949.
The trial took place in Nuremberg because of its historical significance.
- The Palace of Justice was relatively undamaged.
- Site of annual propaganda rallies.

Major War Figures Trial:
- 21 of the most prominent and influential Nazi officers, government officials, and party leaders were put on trial.
- Notable absences from the trial were Nazi leader Hitler and SS Chief Himmler, both of whom committed suicide to avoid capture by the Allied armies.

Sentencing occurred between 1945-1946.
12 Nazi officials were sentenced to death by hanging; two committed suicide prior to being executed.
7 served prison sentences ranging from 10 years to life.
2 were acquitted of all charges.

The Doctors' Trial:
- The US military put Nazi doctors on trial for performing unethical experiments on concentration camp prisoners and for medicinally executing patients deemed 'unworthy of life'.
- Sixteen of the twenty-three doctors put on trial were sentenced; seven were put to death, and the rest imprisoned.
- Noticeably absent was Dr. Josef Mengele, head Nazi physician at Auschwitz, referred to as the ‘Angel of Death’ for his horrific experiments.
The Justices' Trial:
- The US military placed Nazi judges on trial for enforcing and upholding unjust laws of the Third Reich.
- Ten of the sixteen judges prosecuted were given prison sentences ranging from five years to life.

Jury Panel:
- The defendants did not have a say in the selection of the judges and could not appeal the appointment of any of the justices.
Indictments:
- Defendants were prosecuted for charges that had never before been legally defined.
- Many claimed that the charges were created after they were committed.
Victor’s Justice:
- The Allies were accused by some of being as guilty of certain war crimes as the Nazis they put on trial.
- The Soviets committed atrocities against the Eastern European nations they occupied and launched an aggressive war of conquests.
- The United States interned thousands of innocent Japanese Americans, startlingly reminiscent of Nazi prison camps.

Fourth Geneva Convention (1949):
- Set forth rules governing how warring nations must treat civilians.
- Granted protection to civilians whose nations were occupied militarily, whether or not by force.
- Extended protection to prisoners of war and surrendering soldiers.
- Also edited language of the other three previous Geneva Conventions to standardize the laws of war.
Nuremberg Principles (1950):
- Created the official definition of war crimes as based on the trials at Nuremberg.
Nuremberg Code (1949):
- Established a medical code of ethics dealing with scientific experimentation.