Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials were set up for the purpose of bringing Nazi war criminals to justice. The trials for the major war criminals were held November 18, 1945 through October 1, 1946 (“Nuremberg War Crime Trials”). The defendants included; Nazi Party officials, high ranking military officers, German industrialists, and lawyers. Thirteen trials were held to determine the fate of these criminals (“Nuremberg Trials”). It was very difficult to set up the trials since there were no previous trials held under similar circumstances to set precedent. Thanks to the legal basis established by the ‘London Charter,’ three different categories of crimes were established: crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity (“Road to Nuremberg Trials”). The war criminals were prosecuted according to these categories--leading them to their fates.
There were many different outcomes that resulted from the Nuremberg Trials. The first of the trials were held for the prosecution of 24 senior Nazis. This trial went on for 315 days. On October 1, 1946, the International Military Tribunal (IMT) imposed twelve death sentences, three life imprisonments, and four 10 - 20 year prison sentences upon the defendants. Many trials were never held for some of the biggest role players in the Holocaust. Adolf Hitler, for example was not put on trial because he had committed suicide days before the war ended. Other criminals who were not tried fled to Germany to return to their normal lives. A Nazi hunter later tracked down a Nazi official by the name of Adolf Eichnamn. He was accused and tried of deporting millions of Jews. He was later found guilty and executed in 1962 (“Nuremberg Trials”).
There were many different outcomes that resulted from the Nuremberg Trials. The first of the trials were held for the prosecution of 24 senior Nazis. This trial went on for 315 days. On October 1, 1946, the International Military Tribunal (IMT) imposed twelve death sentences, three life imprisonments, and four 10 - 20 year prison sentences upon the defendants. Many trials were never held for some of the biggest role players in the Holocaust. Adolf Hitler, for example was not put on trial because he had committed suicide days before the war ended. Other criminals who were not tried fled to Germany to return to their normal lives. A Nazi hunter later tracked down a Nazi official by the name of Adolf Eichnamn. He was accused and tried of deporting millions of Jews. He was later found guilty and executed in 1962 (“Nuremberg Trials”).