11.+++++Nuremberg+Trials+and+Tokyo+Trial

Nick Culberson October 20, 2008 Block 1 http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/images/nuremberg_defendants.jpg
 * __Group 5__**

** Nuremberg **** War Trials ** **Position (News Reporter)** Name: James Hingerfeld D.O.B.: February 6, 1913 Date of Incident: Crimes committed: 1945-1949, Date of First Trial: 14 November 1945, to 1 October 1946 Interests: Reporting to the America, the news of Today General Information: I've been a reporter for 23 years, Vietnam War Veteran I’m here at the court house awaiting the start of the Nuremberg Trials. There are about two dozen former Nazis here awaiting to hear what the rest of their life is going to look like if you know what I mean. I’m in the lobby of the court house looking at the articles that have to be followed under the pretenses of this court case. In pursuance of the Agreement signed on the 8th day of August 1945 by the government of the United States of America, the Provisional Government of the French Republic , the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United of Soviet Socialist Republics. With this the tribunal shall have four members in it, each with an alternate. Each member and alternate will be appointed by each of the Signatories. The tribunal, its members nor the alternates can be challenged by the prosecution, or by the Defendants or their Counsel. The attendance of all four members of the Tribunal or their alternates for any absence member shall be necessary to constitute the quorum. The members of the Tribunal shall, before any trial begins, agree among themselves upon the selection from their number of Presidents. Wow this is some hardcore articles, well knowing what the defendants did; I can’t really blame the Signatories for being this cautious. Well the trial should be starting soon so I can only tell you a bit more before I have to go. Well let see here, hmm, article 5: in case of need and depending on the number of the matters to be tried, other Tribunals may be set up; and the establishment, functions, and procedure of each Tribunal shall be identical, and shall be governed by this Charter. Next is, The Tribunal established by the Agreement referred to in article 1 hereof for the trial and punishment of major war criminals of the European Axis countries shall have the power to try and punish persons who, acted in the interests of the European Axis countries, whether as individuals or as members of organizations, committed any of the following crimes: Crimes Against Peace, War Crimes, and Crimes Against Humanity. Oh shoot, the trial is starting got to get in there, untile next time, this is James Hingerfeld, signing off good day america. (Nuremberg War Trails, 1,2) “ Nuremberg War Trials: International Military Tribunal Constitution (1945).” __American History.__ 2008. ABC -CLIO 20 Oct. 2008 <[|http://www.americanhistory.abc-clio.com]>

Dan Finn ** Tokyo Trials **  http://japanfocus.org/products/details/2741

Name: Douglas MacArthur Birth Date: January 26, 1880 Date of Incident: May 3, 1946 - November 12, 1948 Occupation: General of the Army and Supreme Allied Commander of the Pacific General Information: Commander of the forces that occupied Japan.

After World War II and the defeat of the Axis powers, the U.S. occupied Japan and left General MacArthur in charge of the forces there. In order to punish

the Axis, specifically the Japanese, for the world wide problems they caused. World War II was the first conflict were the victors held trials and punished

thousands of people for "crimes against peace" and "crimes against humanity" ("Tokyo" 1). These trials became known as the Tokyo Trials and punished

Japenese war criminals and those who had "diceived and misled" the Japenese people into war ("Tokyo" 1). These trials prosecuted 28 class A Japanese

War criminals, sentencing seven to death and sixteen to life sentences. The rest recieved lesser sentences or died or became ill ("Failure" 2). Among the

men prosecuted was Hideki Tojo, who was the Commander and Chief of the Army, and he launched the attack on Pearl Harbor ("Failure" 2). China, the

Phillipines, and other Asian countries also held trials against Japanese war criminals (Danzer 587). Some view these trials as a failure because they set

out to prosecute the war criminals, yet many were not prosecuted, including the "Number One War Criminal," Emperor Hirohito of Japan. 70 men were

apprehended and brought to the trial, yet only 28 were tried, and the rest remained in a prison cell, waiting their turn; however, after the first group of three

was tried, the remainder were set free by Gen. MacArthur. These men who were set free included warmongers, human experimenters, "barbaric leaders in

military, politcal and diplomatic spheres" ("Failure" 4). One flaw with the Tokyo Trials is that they failed to prosecute the leader of the country which had

participated in the war, Emperor Hirohito. The U.S. took him off the list of the "to be tried" just as they had for the other Class A war criminals who walked

free ("Failure" 6). The Tokyo Trials were created to prosecute the major war criminals of Japan, but it was not thorough enough and left many people who

should have been found guilty free. 

Works Cited "The Failure of the Tokyo Trial." __Century China__. 21 Oct. 2008 .

"The Tokyo War Crimes Trials (1946-1948)." __American Experience__. 21 Oct. 2008

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Danzer, Gerald, et al. "The War in the Pacific." __The Americans: Reconstruction to the 21st Century__. United States: McDougal Littell, 2005. 587.