>> 75 years ago, in january >> it was 1945. the war was over. slowly, painfully, life came back to the ruins of europe. [music] the war was over.

but there was no peace. despair crouched over the countenance. hopelessness circled europe like a bird of prey. why? what were the forces? what were the issues in a war that turns nations into rubble heaps? and populations into beggars? the people wanted the answers. they wanted to know what happened and why. in the palace of justice in nuremberg, the people of the world came together, for there, that the international military tribunal, to judge the war criminals. [music] ♪ ♪ >> justice robert

h. jackson, the chief american prosecutor, makes the opening statement for the prosecution.

>> the privilege of opening the first trial in history for crimes against the peace of the world imposes a grave responsibility. the wrongs which we seek to condemn and punish have been so calculated, so mag maglignant and so devastating that civilization cannot tolerate there being ignored because it cannot survive their being repeated. that four great nations stay the hand of vengeance and voluntarily submit their captive enemies to the judgment of the law is one of the most significant tributes that power has ever paid to reason. this inquest represents the practical effort of four of the mightiest nations, to utilize international law to meet the greatest menace of our times,

aggressive war. the commonsense of mankind demands that law shall not stop with the punishment of petty crimes by little people. it must also reach men who possess themselves ofof those ty have attacked, their personal capacity for evil is forever past. merely as individuals, their fate is of little consequence to the world. what makes this inquest

significant is that these prisoners represent sinister influences that will lurk in the world long after their bodies have returned to dust. they are living symbols of the arrogance and cruelty of power, of racial hatreds, of terrorism and violence. they are symbols of fierce nationalisms and of militarism, of intrigue. and war making, which have imbroiled europe generation after generation, crushing its manhood, destroying its homes and impoverishing its life. they have so identified themselves with the forces they directed that any tenderness to them is a victory and encouragement to all the evils which are attached to their names. what these men stand for, we will patiently and temperately disclose. we will give you undenial proof

of incredible events. the catalog of crimes will omit nothing. it may be that these men of troubled conscience do not regard a trial as a favor. but they do have a fair opportunity to defend themselves. a favor which they rarely extended to their fellow countrymen. we will not ask you to convict these men on the testimony of their foes. there is no count of the indictment that cannot be proved by books and records. and we will show you the defendants'own films. you will see their own conduct and hear their own voices as they reenact for you from the screen some of the events in the course of the conspiracy. the acts of the defendants have

bathed the world in blood. and set civilization back a century. they have subjected their european neighbors to every spoliation and deprivation. they have brought the german people to the lowest ebb of wretchedness. they have stirred hatreds and insighted domestic violence on every continent. these are the things that stand in the dark shoulder to shoulder with these prisoners. the real complaining party at your bar is civilization. >> the united states of america

present count one of the indictment, that all the defendants participated as organizers or accomplices in a common plan or conspiracy to commit crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity. >> the aims of this conspiracy were open and notorious. it was far different from any other conspiracy ever unfolded before a court of justice. [music] >> its history is a history of the nazi party, which grew from the brawling streets of munich in the 20's. and from the beginning, adolf hitler and his followers were committed to the use of any

means, whether or not they were legal or honorable. their aim was the highest degree of control over the german community. their intentions were blatantly put forth in mein kampf and the party program. and they preached their favorite doctrine, up and down the land. they said that persons of a so-called german blood were a master race, entitled to subjugate or even exterminate other races. they said that the germans should rule under the leadership principle by which each subleader owed unconditional oa obedience to his leader.

they said that war was a noble and necessary activity of germany. and they said that the nazi party alone had the right to rule germany and the right to destroy the party's enemies. (music) >> their rise to power was based on fraud, deceit, intimidation and coercion. culminating finally in terror. into that flame went the democratic constitution of the republic and the freedom of the german people. for the fires set by the nazis extended to the very reich.

a witness who formerly held a high position in the berlin police tells of his investigation into the fire. >> to speak briefly and to state the facts, first of all, we ascertain that quite generally, it was a large scale propaganda campaign. he took on the job of making the necessary proposals and it was goebbels who first thought of setting the rice stack on fire. a group of 10 reliable was made ready. and he was informed about every detail of the plan. it was expected from him and he gave his assurances that he should do so that the police would be -- they would take up a false trail.

>> using the fire as a pretext for seizing power, the nazi conspirators lost no time in tearing germany away from a policy of peace. >> late in 1933, they led their nation out of the disarmament conference, embarked on a course of secret rearmament. by 1934, the new armaments program, designed by defendants goring, and funk, was going full blast. german industry was again turning out the tools of war. one year later, goring could announce, from the strong

foundation of the national socialist ideology, today rises once again the german armed forces. >> a few days later, the general announced the new law for for compulsory military service. the law was signed by defendants goring, hess, frank, frick. the training began. finally, in spring of 1936, the nazis sent their new troops marching into the land. >> on march 7, 1936, soldiers

of the army which was created by order of the furor, crossed the sacred river of german history. they pledged the furor, whatever decisions he may make, unbreakable faith and obedience and they vowed to follow him and to prove their sincerity by their never-ending love for germany. [music] >> the sound of boots grew louder on the streets of nuremberg. but hitler said -- [speaking foreign language] >> the german people is not a people which welcomes a war today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. it is not in the character of the germans. by nature, not only peaceful

and peace-loving but above all conciliatory. our country, they want to bring in their -- the millions of workers. they want to perform their work. [speaking foreign language] >> but the nazi conspirators, continued to plot new aggressions against peace. in november 1937, hitler called a special meeting with defendants goring, and raider, and generals frick. the meeting was secret but lieutenant colonel, hitler's personal agitant, faithfully recorded hitler's words. >> the german question can be solved only by way of force, for the improvement of our

military political position, it must be our first aim, in every case of entanglement by war, to conquer czechia and austria simultaneously. the annexation of the two states to germany, militarily and politically, would constitute a considerable relief. >> this meeting set the stage for nazi expansion and act one came only three months later, where defendant von papen finally engineered a meeting between the austrian chancellor and hitler. schmidt, who was austrian foreign minister at the time, also attended the meeting. and now he takes the witness stand. did hitler demand that he be made minister of security? >> that was one of the demands on their program. >> were there also demands made with regard to currency exchange and customs?

>> it was of a economic nature of every kind. >> hitler total you that you had until -- told you that you had until february 15 to accept his terms, didn't he? and he told you that if you didn't do so, he would use force? >> the ultimatum was that he intended, as early as february, to march into austria and that, for the last time, he was prepared to postpone it. >> faced by these threats, the austrians carried out all hitler's demands. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) >> but the nazi conspirators weren't satisfied. a month later, when he announced an attack on austrian independence, hitler demanded that it be cancelled. another ultimatum demanded that he resign within three hours. fearing invasion, he resigned and finally someone else was

appointed the new chancellor of austria. that same day, goring in berlin called kepler of the german embassy in vienna. the conversation was transcribed. kepler spoke first. >> we represent the government now. >> yes. you're the government. listen carefully. the following should be sent here. take the notes. the provisional austrian government sends to the german government the urgent request to support it in its task to help prevent bloodshed. for this purpose, it asks the german government to send german troops as soon as possible. >> i'm watching through street. everything collapsed. he's the only one who stirs power in austria. there are troops across the border today. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) >> the act was

written. joining austria to german and signed by the defendant, goring, frick, and hess. hitler, of course, had said -- >> germany neither intends nor wishes to interfere in the internal affairs of austria, to annex austria. 21st of may, 1935, adolf hitler. >> the curtain fell on act one. but already the nazi conspirators prepared for act two. with this 1938 memorandum from hitler to his high command. >> it is my unalterable decision to smash czechia by military action in the near future. it is the job of the political leaders to bring about the politically and militarily suitable moment. >> conrad hennlime was

designated political leader. the plan was labeled operation green and the defendant issued another memorandum, reading -- >> operation will be set in motion by means of an incident in -- the fixing for the exact time of this incident is of the utmost important. >> a few months later, germany signed the munich pact with england, france and italy. this pact involved the transfer of the land to germany. the conspirators called it their last territorial demand. but before the ink was dry, they were making other plans. for hitler's goal was the complete absorption of czechoslovakia. czechoslovakia and now the

czech president was called to a meeting with hitler and defendants goring, and kettel. they gave him the ultimatum. they would be incorporated immediately or czechoslovakia would be invaded and prague destroyed from the air. he was helpless. defendants signed the decree, making bohemia german protectorate. >> hitler had said -- >> i have promise and repeated here that there will be no more territorial problems for germany and europe. >> now, according to more of his notes, hitler reviewed the nazi plan of violence and treachery from 1934 to 1939. the notes read -- >> first, in

1935, the introduction of compulsory military service. after that, militarization of the land. one year later, austria. brought about a considerable reinforcement of the reich. the next step was bohemia and arabia. and with that, the basis for action against poland was laid. basically i did not organize the armed forces. the decision to strike was always in me. >> in the name of the united kingdom of great britain and northern ireland, we present count two, crimes against peace. charging that all the defendants participated in the planning and waging of wars of aggression, wars in violation of international treaties, agreements and assurances.

>> the first step was the rhineland, the next step. >> the land is occupied, austria and czechoslovakia are seized by germany. now the nazi conspirators turned to the next problem. the conquest of poland. again, an agitant transcribed hitler's word. >> it is impossible. there is therefore no question of sparing poland and we are left with the decision to attack poland at the first suitable opportunity. we cannot expect a repetition of the czech affair. there will be war. >> meanwhile, the conspirators stirred up the issue to furnish frontier incidents which could justify an attack on poland. then on 23 august, the nazis signed their nonaggression pact with russia. he told his high command -- >> now poland is in the position in which i want them.

i'm only afraid that at the last moment -- >> appeals were made. twice by the pope. and by president roosevelt. >> the path of destruction started in poland. but soon it led north and south across all europe. and each new aggression was based on hitler's principle that in war, victory, not right, is what matters. >> denmark,

belgium, portugal -- all -- (music) [music] (music) (music) >> on 1 september 1939, the nazis sent it smashing into poland. and to a new world war, for france and england, faithful to their mutual assistance pact with poland, immediately declared war on germany. they opened mass attacks on polish towns and cities. hitler, according to the notes, said -- >> destruction of poland in the foreground. i shall give a propaganda score, starting the war. never mind will it be plausible or not. have no pity. take a brutal attitude. >> but, as usual, before the attack on poland, hitler told the world -- >> during the troubled months of the past year, the friendship between

poland and german has been one of the reassuring factors in the political life of europe. january 1939, adolf hitler. >> the path of destruction started in poland. but soon it led north and south across all europe. and each new aggression was based on hitler's principle that in war, victory, not right, is what matters. >> nonaggression treaty. it is firmly resolved to maintain peace between denmark and germany under all circumstances. 31 st of may, 1939. >> but on 9 april 1940, german troops invaded denmark. >> the german reich government is determined, in view of the

relations which exist between norway and germany, under no circumstances should prejudice, the invilability and the integrity of the norwegian state. >> but on 9 april 1940, german troops invaded, norway.

♪ ♪ >> i assure the governments of belgium, holland and luxembourg, germany will not violate their neutrality. adolf hitler. >> but on may 10, 1940, german troops invaded belgium, holland and luxembourg. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) >> to firmly establish

reliable relationship of german to yugoslavia will represent an element of calm to our nerve-wracked continent. first of june 1939, ad a.d. adolf hitler. >> but on 6 april 1941, german troops invaded yugoslavia. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) >> these criminal

methods of the nazi conspirators brought them early success. by 1941, they had most of europe under their heels. now an evil ambition for power and more power drove them on. but two of the world's mightiest nations, the united states and soviet russia, remained to block the nazi drive for world supremacy. they had to be dealt with, firmly, immediately. and now germany asked for cooperation from her full partner in aggression to the east, and from her junior partner to the south. in berlin, they drew up the axis pact, the blueprint of a new order, and parceled out the continents of the world for access domination. italy was to get the mediterranean sphere. japan was to get the orient.

and to german would go the rest of the world. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) >> in june 1941, in violation of their nonaggression pact, the nazis sent trrops deep into soviet territory, according to military plan long made. as usual, there was no declaration of war. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) >> hitler had said, today germany, tomorrow the world. and this was tomorrow.

planned warfare in the east, air warfare in the west. it was hurled with full force against the people and cities of britain. hitler, after all, had said, i will blot out their cities. (music) [music] (music) (mus ic) (music) [music] (music) (music) >> and then, on

7 december 1941, the japanese, keeping their end of an infamous bargain, struck at the united states, also without declaration of war. japanese bombs rained on pearl harbor, spreading war finally to the pacific. the new order was on the march. world war ii flamed around the globe. >> in the name of the union of soviet socialist republics, the general presents counts three and four, charging that all the defendants committed war crimes in germany and in all those countries occupied by germany. [speaking foreign language] >>

the nazi conspirators committed crimes against enemy armies, against prisoners of war, against the civilians of occupied lands. they believed in the barbaric doctrine of total war and considered themselves freed from the restraints of international law or the established customs of war. their ruthless policies were ordered in directives like this one, from the general of the high command. the bolshevik soldier has lost all claim to treatment as an honorable opponent. active or passive resistance must be broken immediately by force of arms. prisoners of war attempting to escape are to be fired on without previous challenge. no warning shot must be fired. more proof of this savage nazi policy comes to the affidavit of the former gestapo officer. >> they existed in the prisoner

of war camps on the eastern front, small screening teams. it was the duty of these teams to segregate the prisoners of war who were candidates for execution, according to the orders that had been given, and to report them to the office of the gestapo. >> and a letter from defendant roseburg to the defendant in 1942 stated clearly. >> a large part of the soviet prisoners of war have starved or died because of the hazards of the weather. in many cases, prisoners of war could no longer keep up on the march because of hunger and exhaustion. in numerous camps, no shelter for the prisoners was provided at all. even tools were not made available to dig holes or caves. >> yet when some objected that this treatment violated the geneva convention, the defendant answered with this memorandum. >> we are concerned with the destruction of an ideology. therefore i approve and back

the measures. >> this is proved by the testimony of the general, who worked under admiral. the general attended conferences where crimes against whole populations were plotted in advance by the nazi conspirators. will you please explain exactly what took place at this conference? >> first of all, he had a short talk. particularly as regards to polish region. secondly, he spoke vehemently against the measures that he had found out about, to wit, the projected shooting and extermination measures that were being directed against the polish intelligentsia.

>> he said at the time, more or less, verbatim, that the world will at some time make the armed forces under whose eye these events have occurred, also responsible for these events. >> defendant frank, nazi governor of poland, was another of the con sphere conspirators guilty of directing mass murder. in his diary, he speaks of -- >> taking advantage of the focus of attention on the

western front by caring out wholesale liquidation of thousands of pols. >> these atrocities were not restricted to the east. here is the proof, in the village of france. >> here is the proof, in the town of bande, belgium. >> here is the proof, in the caves of italy, where 350

hostages were carefully listed. and systemically murdered. >> and here is czechoslovakia. in blind retaliation for the assassination of ss man heydrich, the nazis murdered all the men and sent their women and children into slavery in germany. but this was not enough. they were ordered to level the village to the ground. it was to be the nazi's example

to all occupied people. [music] >> but more terrible still were the concentration camps, which from the beginning had been the conconspirator's chief weapon against opposition of every kind. german anti-nazis were the first victims. but with the war, their numbers swelled to include citizens of all the nations of europe. their fate is described by witeness rudolf. >> i commanded auschwitz on the 1st of december 1943 and estimate that at least 2.5

million victims were executed and exterminated there by gassing and burning. at least another half million have come to starvation and disease, making the total dead about three million. included among the executed and burned were approximately -- the remainder of the total number included about 100,000 german jews and great numbers of citizens from holland, france, belgium, poland, hungary, czechoslovakia, greece and other countries. >> medical experiments too were standard procedure at many concentration camps.

these included lowering the body temperature to 28 degrees centigrade, high altitude tests in pressure chambers, smermts with poison diseases and even sterilization experiments. this was genocide, the premeditated destruction of entire people. genocide, the direct result of the nazi's claim that they had the right to destroy the party's opposition. tomorrow the world. dead or alive. >> in the fame of the french republic, closes count three and four, the final charges of the indictment. >> all the defendants committed crimes against humanity. including the murder and persecution of all people opposed to the nazi party and the enslavement, exploitation

and deportation of civilian populations. the slave labor policy was the responsibility of the defendant, who admitted in 1944 -- >> out of the five million workers who arrived in germany, not even 200,000 came voluntarily. >> forced labor often meant brutal and degrading treatment. he himself suggested -- >> all the men must be fed, sheltered and treated in such a way to exploit them to the highest possible extend, at the lowest possible expenditure. >> and defendant borman added -- >> the slavs are to work for us in so far as we do not need them, they may do. >> slavery was only one aspect of nazi exploitation. the defendant, in a talk with german occupation authorities in 1942, discussed another,

plunder. >> god knows you are not sent out to work for the welfare of the people in your charge but to get the utmost out of them so that the german people can live. this everlasting concern about foreign people must cease now, once and forever. i have here before me reports in what you are expected to deliver. it makes no difference if you say that your people will starve. >> but nazi crimes against humanity were not limited to foreign peoples. defendant frick, as minister of interior, directed a program aimed at aged, insane or incurable germans. the so-called useless eaters. thousands were committed to special institutions. few ever returned. evidence proves they were murdered, because they were useless to the plans of the nazi conspirators.

but perhaps the greatest crime against humanity the nazis committed against the jews.

>> ss brigadier general stroop, in charge of the warsaw ghetto in 1943 had learned his nazi lessons well. in a secret report he said --

>> the reich, ordered on the 23 of april 1943, the cleaning out of the ghetto with utter ruthlessness. i therefore decided to destroy and burn down the entire ghetto. jews frequently left their hideouts but occasionally remained in the burning buildings and jumped out of the windows only when the heat became unbearable. life was not pleasant. bombs were thrown into the manholes and the jews were driven out and captured. countless numbers of jews were liquidated in sewers and bunkers through blasting. the longer the resistance continued, the tougher became the members. always discharged their duties in an excellent manner. >> little by little, the nazis were reaching what they called the final solution, the total extermination of the jews in europe.

>> we had two ss doctors on duty at auschwitz to examine incoming transports of prisoners. the prisoners would be passed by the doctors. those who were fit for work were sent into the camp. others were sent immediately to the extermination plot. children of tender years were invariably exterminated, since for reasons of their youth they were unable to work. >> we endeavored to fool them into thinking they were to go through a de-lousing process. it took from three to 15 minutes to kill the people in the death chamber, depending upon climatic conditions. you knew when the people were dead because their screaming stopped. we usually waited about one half hour before we opened the doors and removed the bodies.

after the bodies were removed, our special commanders took off the rings and extracted the gold from the teeth of the corpses. >> much of this loot was then transferred to secret vaults of the reich at the mine. labor chief robert lye knew that six million jews died in the nazi'final solution. in his will, he said -- >> anti-semitism we violated a basic command of god's creation. it is hard to admit mistakes, but the whole existence of our people is in question. we must have the courage to rid ourselves of anti-semitism. god has taught me that. >> defendant frank himself said before this court

-- [speaking foreign language] >> we have allowed ourselves to make utterances which are terrible. a thousand years will past and this guilt of germany will still not be erased. >> the prosecution rests. >> the defense begins. they call 61 witnesses and introduce 38,000 affidavits on the defendants'behalf. they submit 136,000 affidavits, 7,000 on behalf of vsd, 3,000 on behalf of the general staff and okw. 2,000 on behalf of the gestapo. these attorneys were personally selected by the defendants.

many are well-known german lawyers. and each now rises to plead acquittal for his client. some make blanket denials of all guilt. [speaking foreign language] >> some of the defendants had, without doubt, a great influence in those spheres which did not interest hitler. they had no powers whatsoever in the great decisions concerning war and peace, armistice, et cetera. >> other attorneys lead their clients through a carefully prepared defense. here striker is examined. [speaking foreign language] >> and i will continue. it has also been stated by the prosecution that they would have had no one to carry out their orders to kill if you haven't made that propaganda and if you hadn't conducted the

education of the german people in that sense. [speaking foreign language] >> i don't believe that those who had been given the order by the furor to carry out the killings or to pass an order to kill, that those people would have been made to do this by my periodical. mein kampf existed and the contents of that book were the real authority, the cause. >> next comes... [speaking foreign language] >> you are accused of establishing this place, of inspecting and visiting this camp regularly. the witness testified having seen you in this camp and further testified having seen you at the inspection of gas chambers and while these gas chambers were in operation. [speaking foreign language] >>

the testimony is wrong. every concentration camp in the reich of which i know anything was established by himmler. >> later the prosecution is allowed to cross-examine the defendants. >> did your ministry force people to leave their homes, to go to germany, to work for the german state? >> it is true that force was used. it is not denied that some terrible encroachments occurred. >> on the 23 of may, in the reich, hitler said he would give you an indoctrination on the political situation. he said, we are left with a

decision to attack poland at the first opportunity. did you still think that he had no aggressive intentions? >> i believed that for a long time. just as the general said, after hitler had solved the czech problem purely politically, it was to be hoped he would also be able to solve the polish question without bloodshed. i believed that until the last moment, until the 22nd of august. >> kitel is cross-examined. >> yesterday your counsel showed you this order dated 16 september 1941. it said that it is necessary to take immediate cruel measures and that human life in the east is absolutely worthless. do you remember the basic idea of the order, that human life costs absolutely nothing? please answer the question. you signed this order with this statement? >> ya.

>> next, yodel. >> do you remember any other reason for such great mortality among soviet prisoners of war? >> i don't know the reasons for this mass murder but they seemed to be completely wrong. that i do know. >> now, von ribbenrop. >> are you saying you knew nothing about the effect of military pressure on austria? >> i wish to stress again that i knew nothing about military measures and if i hadn't known something, i wouldn't see any reason not to say so. but during the days before and

after the meeting, i was so busy taking over the foreign office that i could give only slight attention to the austrian problem. >> then goring is doctors cross-examined. >> at the end of the meeting, you used the following words, didn't you? german jewelry, must as a penalty, forfeit one billion marcs. then the pigs won't commit any more crimes. do you still say that neither hitler nor you knew of the policy to exterminate the jews? >> i already have said that not even approximately did i know to what degree this thing took place. >> you did not know to what degree, but you knew there was a policy that aimed at the liquidation of the jews?

>> no, not liquidation of the jews. i only knew that certain perpetrations had taken place. >> spare takes the stand. >> you were present on april 231945 when hitler received the telegram from goring suggesting that he take over power. what did hitler say on that occasion? >> hitler was most excited about the contents of the telegram and he expressed himself in a very clear manner about goring. he said he knew for some time that goring had failed, that he was corrupt, that he was a drug addict. it was typical of hitler's attitude toward the entire problem, however, that he followed this statement up by saying but he can nevertheless negotiate the cap pit laition. he -- capitulation.

he said, it doesn't really matter who does it. his disregard for the german nation was expressed in the way he said this. >> after months of examination and cross-examination, several defendants make final statements to the tribunal. frank is first. >> i myself, speaking from the very depths of my sentiments, and from the experience of five months of this trial, want to say this. now that i have gained the last insight into all that which has been committed to the way of dreadful atrocities, i feel a terrible guilt within me. >> funk declares. >> when these measures of terror and violence against jews were put up to me, i suffered a nervous breakdown, because at the moment it came to my mind, with full clearness that from here on, the catastrophe took its course all the way up to the terrible and

atrocious things about which we have by hwich i knew only in part at the time of my imprisonment. i felt ashamed and guilty at that moment, and i feel the same today. >> the men committed murder. [speaking german] >> everything he promised to the german people he did not afterwards keep. he promised equal rights for all citizens, and without regard to their capabilities, his adherence cut privileges

for all citizens. he promised to fight against political lying, and together with his minister, he never did anything but disseminate political allies and political fraud. he relieves criminals and put them into his service. he did everything in the way of not keeping his promises. he deceived the world, germany, and me. the tremendous danger contained in this totalitarian system only became really clear the moment we were approaching the end. everything that has happened during this trial, everything you have seen in the way of orders, carried out without any hesitation, that after all, -- that is why this trial must contribute to the prevention of such wars in the future, and the establishment, principles for human cooperation. [speaking german] >> i heard.

i was not able to prevent what happened. that is my guilt. i can only wish of the disastrous methods and terrible consequences of this work, there will arise for the german people a new hope for a better future in the community of nations. >> now frank. [speaking german] >> recall on the german people, whose representatives we were, doomed to failure in the will and justice of god, which is doomed for everyone who may try to follow it anywhere in the world. >> the last defendant to speak is preacher. >> german] >> view of the prosecution did not speak anything good on about hiller. the addict -- hitler. i am one of these betrayed.

>> finally, both defense and prosecution some of their arguments for the tribunal -- sum up their arguments for the tribunal. >> it must have not only real, but moral authority. the judgment must be looked upon with confidence. it's not above the contesting parties. >> in the name of the united states of america, justice jackson delivers his summation. >> according to the testimony of each defendant, these men saw no evil, spoke none, and none was uttered in the presence. if we combined only the stories from the front bench, this is

the ridiculous composite picture of hitler's government that emerges. it was composed of a number two man, who never suspected the jewish extermination program, although he signed over a score of anti-semitic decrease. a number three man was merely a middleman, transmitting hitler's orders without reading them, like a postman or delivery boy. the foreign minister, who knew little of foreign affairs and nothing of foreign policy. a field marshal, who issued orders to the armed forces, but had no idea of the results they would have in practice.

a security chief, who was of the impression that the policing functions of his gestapo and st were somewhat on the lines of directing traffic. a party philosopher who had no idea of the violence for which his philosophy was inciting in the 20th century. a governor general of poland, who reigned but did not rule. one whose occupation was to pour filthy writing about the jews, but who had no idea anybody would read the. -- read them. a ministry of the interior who knew not even what went on in his own office, much less the interior of his own department, and nothing at all about the interior of germany. a big president who was totally ignorant of what went in and

out of the vault of his bank. to say of these men that they are not guilty, it would be as true to say is there has been no war, there are slain, there has been no crime. >> in the name of the united kingdom and great britain and ireland, the summation. >> this trial must form a milestone in the history of civilization, not only marking that right shall, in the end, triumph over evil, but also that ordinary people of the world, and i make no distinction between friend and foe, are now determined that the individual must transcend the state. the state and law are made for man. through them, he may achieve a fuller life, a higher purpose, and a greater dignity. >> in the name of the union of soviet social republics, general road tangoe delivers

his summation. >> when we ask if the charges have been proved, after the defendants been convicted of their guilt, there is only one answer. their crimes have been proved. neither the statements of the defendants nor the arguments of the defense who were able to refute our grave accusations. it has been possible to cast out on events which actually took place. the truth cannot be challenged. that is the real meaning of this trial. that is the lasting result of our long and strenuous effort. >> in the name of the french republic, he delivers his summation. >> when this international trail is closed and the principal war criminal's sentenced, we shall go back to our own countries. the fate of these men now lies entirely with your conscience. this is beyond our competence. our task is finished. now it is for you, in the

silence of your deliberations, to listen to innocent blood crying for justice. >> lord justice lawrence, great britain. mr. francis biddle, united states. mister father, france. and major general nikki tangoe, ussr, and their alternates prepare the verdicts. there will be based on the opinion of the majority. (music) >> on october 1, 1946,

the verdict is delivered by lord justice lawrence, president of the tribunal. >> of the organizations, the ss, sd, gestapo, and leadership core are found guilty. the high command, sa and right command not guilty. as for the individual, wilhem, guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. death by hanging. rudolph hess, guilty of conspiracy and crimes against peace. life imprisonment. guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and

crimes against humanity. death by hanging. wilhelm cargill -- keuchel, death by hanging. ernst, guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. death by hanging. alfred rosenberg, guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. death by hanging. hans frank, guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. death by hanging. wilhelm frick, guilty of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

death by hanging. julius stryker, guilty of crimes against him entity. death by hanging. walter, guilty of crimes against humanity. life imprisonment. not guilty on this indictment, released. karl, guilty of crimes against peace and war crimes. 10 years imprisonment. eric, guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace, and war crime. life imprisonment. baldor, guilty of crimes against humanity. 20 years imprisonment. fritz, guilty of war crimes and

crimes against humanity. death by hanging. alfred yodel, guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. death by hanging. franz, not guilty on this indictment. released. albert, guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. 20 years imprisonment. constantine, guilty of conspiracy, crimes against peace war crimes, and crimes against humanity. 15 years imprisonment. arthur, guilty of crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. death by hanging.

hans, not guilty on this indictment. released. martin borman, tried in accenture, guilty. death by hanging. >> the trial is over. (music) >> seven begin their prison sentences. during chooses to died by his own hand. the other 10 wait for the gallows. in

nuremberg, the people of the world found out and why. but nuremberg is more than just an answer to a question. as justice jackson said, this trial is part of the great effort to make the piece more secure, it constitutes action of a kind to ensure that those who start a war will pay for it personally. nuremberg stands as a warning to all those who plan and wage aggressive war. (music)

you can keep track of the state by state results the delegate count and our unfiltered campaign preparation with all of the candidates located in one place in us free it's easy to use it's all there at c-span.org slash campaign 2020. coming up here on c-span american history tv them back to women in the u.s. started the moment with the 1959 film about the hiring of african american women after president eisenhower's order for federal equal employment opportunities, that's followed by history lecture on women's restoration efforts in the 19 sixties and seventies and then the iowa state university class on the history of women's work on family farms and later the legend and legacy of an earlier

heart. senate sonia is very much by cultural community and so the latino story is the senate on your story the c-span city's tours on the road exploring the american story this weekend we take you to san antonio texas san antonio is here because of these missions this is the central saturday at noon on both tv whether or not the city and some of his authors and sunday at 2 pm on american history tv we travel to museums and historic sites as we learn about the history of the city and surrounding areas the c-span cities tour taking you on the road to explore the american story. next real america weekly program where american history tv prison archival film from the national video hall for the next 30 minutes look at racial tensions