Nazi Downfall
End of the War
Only the largest war in human history could
bring down the height of Nazism. Towards the end of the war, Hitler's rash
decisions made him unpopular with his generals and there were even attempts to
assassinate him. Soviet Union troops were advancing on Hitler and his small
circle who stayed with him. Hitler gave the "scorched earth" order to
destroy Germany so that nothing would be left for the Soviet invaders. This
order was never carried out, however. As Soviet troops entered the outskirts of
Berlin on April 30th, 1945, Hitler committed suicide. German leadership was
then passed on to Joseph Goebbles, but he also took his own life within 24
hours. The remaining Nazi leaders were either in Allied custody or running for
their lives. The reign of the Nazis was finally coming to an end.
“We must establish incredible events by credible evidence.” —US Chief Prosecutor Robert Jackson, June 7, 1945
Nuremberg Trials
The Nuremberg Trials was a system of 13 trials taking place at the Palace of Justice in Nuremberg, Germany, lasting from 1945-1949. It's purpose was to bring the Nazi leaders to justice. Nearly 200 people were convicted, many just received prison sentences, but others also received life sentences or even the death penalty for their crimes against humanity. Hitler and two of his top men, Joseph Goebbles and Heinrich Himmler, all committed suicide before they could be brought to trial. The trials seemed to be controversial at the time, but has proved to be a great milestone in permanent international court and served as a precedent for later genocide instances and crimes against humanity.
"Hitler has disgraced Germany for all time! He betrayed and disgraced the people that loved him!...I will be the first to admit my guilt." (4/17/46) |
"I signed the laws for the aryanization of Jewish property. Whether that makes me legally guilty or not, is another matter. But it makes me morally guilty, there is no doubt about that. I should have listened to my wife at the end. She said we'd be better off dropping the whole minister business and moving into a three-bedroom flat." (7/8/46) |
"I think [Hitler] wanted the best for Germany at the beginning, but he became an unreasoning evil force with the flattery of his followers--Himmler, Goering, Ribbentrop, etc...I tried to persuade him he was wrong in his anti-Jewish policies many a time. He seemed to listen at first, but later on, I had no influence on him." (10/30/45) |