The battles in the European theater of World War II ended in May 1945. From the beginning of the conflict, there was widespread talk of crimes committed by the Nazi regime. The Germans attributed these accusations to notorious British propaganda. Gradually, more and more reports of atrocities taking place in continental Europe came to light, especially after the start of "Operation Barbarossa" against the Soviets. A few months later, the Americans entered the war and the fight against the Axis took on a more idealistic tone. After the war, it was time to substantiate the charges and deliver justice, the "Nemesis" of the ancient Greeks. Public opinion in the Allied countries, as well as many neutral states, anxiously awaited the punishment of the guilty parties.
After much deliberation, the victorious Allied Powers decided to establish a military tribunal in Nuremberg, the beloved city of the Nazis, as they had organized their pre-war conferences there. In November 1945, this specific trial began in the city, with many German officials sitting in the defendant's dock. However, the leaders of the Third Reich (Hitler, Goebbels, Himmler) had already committed suicide, and only Hermann Göring could be considered to hold such an important position to make critical decisions. Other trials followed, mainly involving German (primarily) and Japanese (secondarily) defendants.
The Nuremberg trial lasted much longer than expected (a total of 284 sessions took place) and concluded on September 30, 1946. The Allies' failure to bring the main culprits for the "heinous crimes of National Socialism" to the defendant's dock did not significantly diminish the importance of the trial. After all, it was the first time that humanity had witnessed such horror, and the blood of millions of war victims demanded justice, if not revenge. During the hearing process, horrifying stories were heard that deeply shook the global public opinion at the time. The recording alone of what was said during this process would require the writing of many volumes. The proceedings of the trial were recorded on 27 kilometers of magnetic tape and 7,000 discs!
In this book, the events that led the leadership of the Allies to choose this particular criminal procedure are soberly presented. The preliminary actions (e.g., the arrest and selection of the defendants) are also briefly described, as well as the proceedings during the hearing, in rough outlines. Furthermore, the background for the issuance of the verdict is vividly described based on sources from the judges themselves. Finally, the court's verdict is presented, along with various details about the final moments of the convicted, while mentioning what became of those who escaped the gallows.