no Nuremberg trials

[Straha]

For whatever constellation of reasons you need to fathom here, assume that the Nuremberg Nazi war crimes trials never took place. What would be different about subsequent German and world history? IMO More Nazis would have been shot by the Russians and French. US deNazification would have ended earlier and been an even bigger farce than OTL.

 

[Scott Rosenthal]

The WHY of the trials not taking place is essential to answer this question. Remember that Stalin was adamant about the trials taking place, while the US was distinctly lukewarm. This might mean nothing in and of itself (the US wasn't for letting the Nazis run free, but there was concern that this would be a very bad precedent to establish, and Stalin was set upon revenge, and the only way he could guarantee it was with Allied cooperation and legitimacy), but it could potentially be crucial to the context....

 

[aktarian]

Any Nazi who would be captured in e Europe would be shot. after a trial, of course. Anybody knows who captured leaders? IIRC it was mostlly westerners. If Wallies declare they will not hold trials Stalin could demand they be extradited to them and put on trial. Does US refuse? Probably more generals and high ranking officers in soviet hands shot later as well. If US is agaisnt them what about others? French would want some sort of retribution. brits likely as well. It could mean more paranoid SU, more beligerent, less willing to cooperate. If Berlin crisis erupts as in OTL (or similar) it could lead to war as Stalin would be less willing to back down.

 

[Melvin Loh]

We discussed the scenario of no Nuremberg trials on the previous board, and came to pretty much the same conclusions.