A Look in My Mirror

The most interesting part of the book I am reading is the viewpoints of the different groups.  Generally, religious leaders, the newsmen, and the military favored the trials.  Some even said the trials didn’t go far enough.  Many felt that if Germany was to be tried for waging an aggressive war against Poland, so should Russia, since they invaded from the east as Germany came in from the west.  Russia, though, sent a judge and lawyers to help at the trials.  Where were the consequences of their actions.

Many lawyers, legal scholars and even politicians opposed the trials for various reasons.  Many felt the German leaders should be summarily executed, not given trials.  Others though pointed out, rightly, that there was no international legal precedent for the trials.  The charges were for crimes that did not become illegal until the London Conference that set up the tribunal.  German leaders therefore couldn’t be held liable because they did nothing illegal, under international law.

Another point that was well made is the fact that German leaders were prepared to die.  They knew the ultimate outcome of the war was either victory or death.  The trials were a bit of a reprieve for them then.

Also the point was made that the Russians, being on the victorious side, obviously would not be tried, even if they should have been.  No one was going to try to hold them accountable for their actions.

So the point is, the trials were ex post facto prosecutions that did not extend to all the parties responsible for the beginning of the war.  Nice summary.