Nuremberg trials after World War II Were Largely a Symbolic Exercise Because

The statement that the Nuremberg Trials after World War II were mostly symbolic can be explained by looking at what the trials tried to do and how people view their impact. These trials happened between 1945 and 1946 and were the first time leaders from a defeated country were tried in an international court. Here’s a simpler look at why some people think the trials were symbolic:

1. Starting New Rules

The Nuremberg Trials were the first to set up new rules about how big leaders can be tried for doing very bad things, like starting wars or hurting lots of people. This was a new idea and started a way for countries around the world to think about international law.

2. Teaching About Justice

The trials were meant to show the world that after a big war, people who did horrible things would be held accountable. This was a new idea at the time and showed everyone that there should be justice, even after big conflicts.

3. Who Was Tried

Only the leaders from the countries that lost the war were put on trial. Some people argue that if the trials were completely fair, then everyone who did bad things, including some winners of the war, should have been tried too. Because of this, the trials seemed more like a lesson or a warning, not just about being fair.

4. Teaching the World

The trials also helped teach people all over the world about what happened during the war, especially about the Holocaust, where many innocent people were hurt. By making these facts known, the trials hoped to prevent such bad things from happening again.

5. Helping Future Courts

What happened at Nuremberg helped set up rules and ideas for future courts that deal with very serious crimes, like when leaders hurt people in their own country. These future courts look back at Nuremberg as a starting point.

Conclusion

While there are reasons to think the Nuremberg Trials were mostly for show, they did a lot more than that. They started new ideas about how to handle big crimes in international courts and taught important lessons about justice and fairness.