On February 7th, 1946, the French concluded their segment in the prosecution case,
and were succeeded by the British who were eager to present evidence concerning Rudolph Hess and his journey to England. On the following day, the Russians took the floor in order to present their opening statement delivered by General Rudenko. He spoke for an immense portion of the day as the Russians made their presentation of their evidence.
Portion of a letter, 2/9/1946
Afterward, Thomas J. Dodd of the U.S legal team spoke with Justice Jackson regarding the segregation of Göring from other defendants. Dodd explained,” he is browbeating and threatening them – and particularly those who might admit some guilt” [p. 229, 2/09/1946].
Portion of a letter, 2/9/1946
In other words, Göring was trying to eliminate any lose ends that would reveal any previously undiscovered information.
As the Russian presentations dragged on, Dodd declined two dinner invitations to write letters to his beloved Grace. He shared with her his concerns about divisions within the U.S. legal team. “Some Army and Navy officers, lawyers, sought to get on the staff as a soft assignment. Some Army and Navy officers, and some civilian lawyers, got on by exaggerated reports about their ability–and once on the staff proceeded to seek and get some personal publicity… asked to be released” [p. 231, 2/9/1946]. Dodd’s frustration with those not working toward the ultimate goal of convictions, but for their own personal benefit, was clear.
Portion of a letter 2/9/1946
On the twelfth of February Romania’s General Zoyra read the testimony of Antonescu, as well as the testimony of Romanian Minister of War Pantazi. General Zoyra’s presentation and evidence to support it emphasized the Nazi aggression against the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). “It can be safely said that the predatory war against the Soviet Union was the keynote of the entire fascist conspiracy against peace” [http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/02-11-46.asp#zorya accessed 2/08/2016].
POrtion of a letter, 2/9/1946
The following day, Colonel Pokrovsky returned to deliver the presentation on Criminal Violation of the Laws. Pokrovsky did an excellent job as he detailed how Germany violated the 23rd Article of the Hague Convention of 1907 which reads,” …it is forbidden…to kill or wound an enemy who, having laid down his arms and possessing no means of defense, has unconditionally surrendered.” [http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/02-13-46.asp#pokrovsky accessed 2/08/2016]. As support, he introduced to the court article 2 of chapter 4 in the Second Peace Conference, 1907, which defines how prisoners of war will be treated. In contrast the evidence he submitted documented “…on the Island of Khortitsa, on the Dnieper, after the German troops were forced to retreat by the Red Army, the bodies of captured Red Army soldiers who had been tortured by the Germans were found. The prisoners’ hands had been cut off, their eyes gouged out, their stomachs ripped open” [http://avalon.law.yale.edu/imt/02-13-46.asp#pokrovsky accessed 2/08/2016].
The tone of the Nürnberg Trials, always serious, had turned somber. Tom Dodd was on his toes to maintain the pace of the trial as evidence mounted; country after country sharing documentation of the barbaric acts committed against combatant and civilian alike.
–Owen Doremus and Betsy Pittman
[Owen Doremus, a junior at Edwin O. Smith High School, is supporting this blog series with research and writing as part of an independent study.]
The majority of the letters from Tom Dodd to his wife Grace have been published and can be found in Letters from Nuremberg, My father’s narrative of a quest for justice. Senator Christopher J. Dodd with Lary Bloom. New York: Crown Publishing, 2007.
Images available in Thomas J. Dodd Papers.