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War-crime trials of Nazi leaders

Definition

These were a series of military tribunals held after World War II, most notably the Nuremberg Trials, to prosecute prominent leaders of Nazi Germany who had participated in the Holocaust and other war crimes.

Analogy

Think of these trials like a big school disciplinary hearing. If a group of students were caught bullying others (in this case, committing horrific acts during WWII), they would be brought before the school authorities (the Allied forces) to face consequences for their actions. Just as each student would be judged individually for their part in the bullying, so too were the Nazi leaders tried for their specific roles in war crimes.

Related terms

Nuremberg Trials: The most famous of these trials, held in Nuremberg, Germany from 1945-1946. They prosecuted 24 major war criminals and six groups - Reich Cabinet, Leadership Corps of the Nazi Party, SS (Schutzstaffel), SD (Sicherheitsdienst), Gestapo (Secret State Police), and "General Staff and High Command".

Crimes Against Humanity: A category of international law that includes widespread or systematic attacks against civilians. This was one charge faced by many defendants at the war-crime trials.

Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular ethnic or national group. This term was coined during WWII and is central to understanding why these trials took place.