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November 20, 1945

Nuremberg War Crimes Trial Begins

November 2007 Issue
By George Hodak

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Title: November 20, 1945

In the aftermath of World War II, victorious Allied forces responded to widespread atrocities carried out by the Nazi regime under color of war. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill had urged that Nazi leaders be “hunted down and shot.”

But those favoring a legal process prevailed with the creation of an international tribunal commissioned to try German officials accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Meticulous Nazi record-keeping provided much of the evidence against the 22 defendants. Official documents, along with wrenching eyewitness testimony, opened the world’s eyes to the horrors of the Holocaust.

After 11 months, 12 defendants were sentenced to death, seven to prison terms ranging from 10 years to life, and three were acquitted. Hitler’s No. 2, Hermann Göring, remained unrepentant throughout, and he committed suicide the night before he was to be executed.

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Comments

  1. Posted by J.D. - Nov 9, 2007 01:51 pm CDT

    So the ABA wants to rely on radical jihadists’ “record keeping” in today’s war on terror???

    Nope, it’s time for leadership willing to say that al Qaeda leadership must be “hunted down and shot.”

    Of course, the Dems and Bush are too scared to even say the phrase “Islamic fundamentalists.”

    We’re so screwed.


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