23.11.2015, Strategic Culture
Foundation http://www.strategic-culture.org (Russia), Фонд стратегической культуры http://www.fondsk.ru (Россия)
Those who
resort to force, real or imaginary, and violence to subjugate other nations
have failed to learn well the lessons of history. Be it the bombings of former
Yugoslavia, the wars in Iraq and Libya, the neo-Nazi regime coming to power in
Ukraine or nurturing terrorist groups in Syria – there are always specific
people who initiate, finance and carry out the crimes against peace and
humanity. They should remember the lessons of Nuremberg war crimes trials held
70 years ago.
The idea of
the trials was put forward almost simultaneously by all parties to the
anti-Hitler’s coalition. As far back as June 22, 1941, the Soviet Union said
the Nazi leadership had to stand the trial for unleashing the war.
The need for
an international trial over the criminals was first indicated on Oct. 14, 1942,
in the Soviet Government’s statement «Of the
responsibility of the Hitlerite aggressors and their accomplices for crimes
committed in the occupied countries of Europe». The statement said, «The Soviet
Government considers it essential to hand over without delay to the courts of
the special international tribunal, and to punish according to all the severity
of the criminal code, any of the leaders of Fascist Germany who in the course
of the war have fallen into the hands of States fighting against Hitlerite
Germany».
In their turn,
the governments of the United States and Great Britain made the statements on
the responsibility of Hitlerites for heinous crimes committed against humanity
in October, 1941. The decision to set up an international tribunal was taken at
the Potsdam conference of the allied powers. The agreement
stated,
«War
criminals and those who have participated in planning or carrying out Nazi
enterprises involving or resulting in atrocities or war crimes shall be
arrested and
