Judgment Day.

Following the end of World War II, the Allies (United States, France, Great Britain, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) established a military court to try Axis leaders for war crimes. The most famous of these trials were held at Nuremberg, Germany, from November 1945 through October 1946.

Origins of the Tribunal.

On 8 August 1945 representatives from the provisional government of France, the United States, Great Britain, and the Soviet Union met in London and signed an agreement that included a charter to set up an international military tribunal to try major Axis leaders for crimes against peace (such as planning war); crimes against humanity (genocide); war crimes (murder or ill-treatment of civilians or prisoners of war); and conspiracy to commit crimes listed in the first three groups. The tribunal consisted of one member, plus an alternate, from each of the...