World War II stands as one of the most harrowing chapters ever written in human history. In the aftermath of Germany's surrender, the International Military Tribunal undertook the monumental task of bringing 199 defendants to justice for atrocities committed during the conflict.

The United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union — the Allied nations — came together to hold Nazi German leaders accountable for crimes perpetrated throughout the World War. It took 11 months of proceedings, but September 30, 1946, became the day the world witnessed these leaders formally convicted and found guilty for what they had done during WWII. In the lead-up to these historic proceedings, as Germany issued a notice to surrender, US president Harry Truman selected Robert H Jackson to serve as Justice of the Supreme Court, tasking him with overseeing the trials.

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Fun Facts

• Of the 199 defendants who stood trial during the Nuremberg trials, 161 received convictions, and 37 were handed death sentences.
• Just eight days prior to Germany's formal surrender, President Harry Truman chose Robert H Jackson to serve as the supreme court Justice who would preside over the Nuremberg war trials.
• Unprecedented in its structure, the Nuremberg war trial featured a panel of nine judges drawn from America, Britain, France, and Germany presiding over the proceedings.
• Every word spoken during the Nuremberg war trials was simultaneously translated into three languages: English, German, and French.
• The city of Nuremberg, Germany, was deliberately selected as the trial venue because of its significance as a focal point in Nazi Germany propaganda in the years leading up to the war.
• On October 18th, 1945, formal indictments were issued against 24 Nazi officials, charging them with crimes against peace and humanity.