Who was the primary target of prosecution at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal?

History · High School · Thu Feb 04 2021

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The primary targets of prosecution at the Nuremberg War Crimes Tribunal, also known as the Nuremberg Trials, were the major war criminals of the European Axis powers, predominantly leaders from Nazi Germany. These individuals were accused of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Prominent figures among the defendants included Hermann Göring, who was the highest-ranking Nazi official tried at Nuremberg, as well as other key members of the Third Reich's political, military, and economic leadership. A total of 24 individuals were initially indicted, although not all of them stood trial due to various reasons like suicide or illness.

Extra: The Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals held after World War II by the Allied forces, with the most famous being the trial of the major war criminals held between November 20, 1945, and October 1, 1946. These trials marked the first time in history that international, rather than purely domestic, law was employed to prosecute individuals for aggression, violations of the rules of war, and crimes against humanity. The Nuremberg Trials were significant because they established the principles for what constitutes war crimes and set a precedent for the prosecution of such crimes, leading to the development of international criminal law. The tribunal's legal basis was the London Charter, which defined the laws and procedures by which the Nuremberg trials were conducted. The outcomes of these trials also included the executions of several high-ranking Nazi officials, long-term imprisonments for others, and the acquittal of a few. Subsequent trials, often called the Subsequent Nuremberg Proceedings, were held to prosecute other lesser-known war criminals. The Nuremberg Trials have had a deep and lasting impact on international law and the global pursuit of justice.

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