The High Command Trial (or, officially, The United States of America vs. Wilhelm von Leeb, et. al.) was the last of the twelve trials for war crimes the U.S. authorities held in their occupation zone in Germany in Nuremberg after the end of World War II. These twelve trials were all held before U.S. military courts, not before the International Military Tribunal, but took place in the same rooms. The twelve U.S. trials are collectively known as the "Subsequent Nuremberg Trials" or, more formally, as the "Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals" (NMT). A war crime is a punishable offense, under international law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... The United States of America — also referred to as the United States, the U.S.A., the U.S., America, the States, or (archaically) Columbia—is a federal republic of 50 states located primarily in central North America (with the exception of two states: Alaska and Hawaii). ... The Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundesrepublik Deutschland) is one of the worlds leading industrialised countries, located in the heart of Europe. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The Nuremberg Trials is the general name for two sets of trials of Nazis involved in World War II and the Holocaust. ... Chief prosecutor Telford Taylor opens the prosecution case in the Krupp Trial The Subsequent Nuremberg Trials (or, more formally, the Trials of War Criminals before the Nuremberg Military Tribunals (NMT)) were a series of twelve U.S. military trials for war crimes against surviving members of the military, political, and...

The accused in this trial were all high-ranking generals of the German Wehrmacht (one was a former Admiral) and former members of the High Command of Nazi Germany's military forces. They were charged with having participated in or planned or facilitated the execution of the numerous atrocities committed in countries occupied by the German forces during the war. The Wehrmacht (literally defence force or means/power of resistance) was the name of the armed forces of Germany from 1935 to 1945. ... The word admiral comes from the Arabic term amir-al-bahr meaning commander of the seas. ... The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command) was part of the command structure of the Nazi armed forces during World War II. In theory, it served as the military general staff for Adolf Hitlers Third Reich, coordinating the efforts of the German Army... Nazi Germany, or the Third Reich, commonly refers to Germany in the years 1933–1945, when it was under the firm control of the totalitarian and fascist ideology of the Nazi Party, with the Führer Adolf Hitler as dictator. ...

The judges in this case, heard before Military Tribunal V-A, were John C. Young (presiding judge) from Colorado, Winfield B. Hale from Tennessee, and Justin W. Harding from Alaska. The Chief of Counsel for the Prosecution was Telford Taylor. The indictment was filed on November 28, 1947; the trial lasted from December 30 that year until October 28, 1948. Of the 14 defendants indicted, two were acquitted on all counts. Johannes Blaskowitz committed suicide during the trial. The remaining nine defendants received prison sentences ranging from three years including time served to lifetime imprisonment. There are also three Colorado Rivers: two in the United States and one in Argentina. ... State nickname: Volunteer State Other U.S. States Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Governor Phil Bredesen Official languages English Area 109,247 km² (36th)  - Land 106,846 km²  - Water 2,400 km² (2. ... State nickname: The Last Frontier, The Land of the Midnight Sun Other U.S. States Capital Juneau Largest city Anchorage Governor Frank Murkowski Official languages English Area 1,717,854 km² (1st)  - Land 1,481,347 km²  - Water 236,507 km² (13. ... Telford Taylor Telford Taylor (February 24, 1908 - May 22, 1998) was a U.S. lawyer best known for his role in the Counsel for the Prosecution at the Nuremberg Trials after World War II, his opposition against Senator McCarthy in the 1950s, and his outspoken criticism of the U.S... In the common law legal system, an indictment is a formal charge of having committed a serious criminal offense. ... November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1947 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... December 30 is the 364th day of the year (365th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 1 day remaining. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... 1948 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... Johannes Blaskowitz (July 10, 1883 - February 5, 1948) was a German general during World War II. During the Polish September Campaign he commanded the German 8th Army. ...

Indictment

The accused faced four charges of having committed war crimes and crimes against humanity: A war crime is a punishable offense, under international law, for violations of the law of war by any person or persons, military or civilian. ... This article is in need of attention. ...

1. Crimes against peace by waging aggressive war against other nations and violating international treaties.
2. War crimes by being responsible for murder, ill-treatment and other crimes against prisoners of war and enemy belligerents.
3. Crimes against humanity by participating or ordering the murder, torture, deportation, hostage-taking, etc. of civilians in occupied countries.
4. Participating and organizing the formulations and execution of a common plan and conspiracy to commit aformentioned crimes.

All defendants were indicted on all counts; they all pleaded "not guilty". A crime against peace, in international law, consists of illegally starting a war. ...

Count 4 of the indictment—the conspiracy charge—was soon dropped by the tribunal because it was already covered by the other charges.

On count 1, the tribunal considered all accused not guilty, stating that they were not the policy-makers and that preparing for war and fighting a war on orders was not a criminal offense under the applicable international law of the time.

Defendants

I — Indicted   G — Indicted and found guilty Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... Hugo Sperrle Hugo Sperrle (1885 - 1953), was a German field marshal of the airforce Luftwaffe during World War II. He served as commander of the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War, with Wolfram Freiherr von Richthofen serving as his chief of staff. ... Field Marshal Georg von Küchler Georg Karl Friedrich Wilhelm von Küchler (May 30, 1881 _ May 25, 1968) was a German field marshal during World War II. Born in Philippsruhe castle near Hanau, Küchler led the German 18th Army in 1940 in the invasion of neutral Holland... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... 1953 is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Johannes Blaskowitz (July 10, 1883 - February 5, 1948) was a German general during World War II. During the Polish September Campaign he commanded the German 8th Army. ... Colonel General is a senior military rank which is used in some of the world’s militaries. ... February 8 is the 39th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... General Hermann Hoth Hermann Hoth (12 April 1885 - 26 January 1971) was a general of the Third Reich during World War II, notable for victories in France and on the Eastern Front, and later, after serving six years in prison for war crimes, as a writer on military history. ... 1954 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1952 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... December 22 is the 356th day of the year (357th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... December 24 is the 358th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (359th in leap years). ... 1949 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... Walter Warlimont (October 3, 1894 - October 9, 1976) was a German officer known for his role in the OKW inner circle (deputy chief). ... The commissar order was an order given by Adolf Hitler prior to Operation Barbarossa that any captured Russian political officer be immediately shot. ...

All sentences included time already served in custody since April 7, 1945. April 7 is the 97th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (98th in leap years). ... 1945 was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Note

There was also a "High Command Case" in the Trial of the Major War Criminals before the International Military Tribunal. In that case, the German supreme command of the armed forces (OKW – Oberkommando Wehrmacht) was acquitted of the charge of having been a criminal organization. The Nuremberg Trials is the general name for two sets of trials of Nazis involved in World War II and the Holocaust. ... The Oberkommando der Wehrmacht or OKW (Wehrmacht High Command, Armed Forces High Command) was part of the command structure of the Nazi armed forces during World War II. In theory, it served as the military general staff for Adolf Hitlers Third Reich, coordinating the efforts of the German Army...

References

• Law Reports of Trials of War Criminals, Vol. XII, 1949 (http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/WCC/ghctrial1.htm) of the United Nations War Crimes Commission.
• Another description (http://www.ess.uwe.ac.uk/genocide/cntrl10_trials.htm#Command)