November 20
Nuremberg War Crimes Trials Commence
Summary
Following the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany in May 1945, the Allied powers faced the challenge of holding accountable those responsible for systematic atrocities during World War II. The United States, Britain, France, and the Soviet Union established the International Military Tribunal through the London Charter. On November 20, 1945, the tribunal convened in the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany, to try 24 major Nazi leaders for crimes against peace, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and conspiracy. The proceedings featured extensive documentary evidence, survivor testimony, and film footage of concentration camps. The trial lasted nearly a year and set important legal precedents for individual responsibility under international law.
Why It Matters
The opening of the Nuremberg trials established the principle that individuals, including heads of state, could be held criminally responsible for aggressive war and atrocities, laying the foundation for modern international criminal justice institutions such as the International Criminal Court. The trials documented Nazi crimes in exhaustive detail, educating the world and the German public about the regime's actions. They also created a lasting model for post-conflict accountability that has been referenced in subsequent tribunals.
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Sources
- Nuremberg trials begin | November 20, 1945, History.com. Accessed 2026-07-07.
- Nuremberg trials - Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed 2026-07-07.