Glossary of Terms

For General Readers

Legal Terms

Ex Post Facto

Meaning: Making something illegal after it was done
Example: If you did something legal in 1940, but in 1945 they made it illegal and punished you for what you did in 1940
Why It Matters: Normally illegal - you can’t be punished for something that wasn’t illegal when you did it

Command Responsibility

Meaning: Military leaders are responsible for what their troops do
Example: If troops commit atrocities, the general in charge can be held responsible
Why It Matters: Used to prosecute leaders who didn’t directly commit crimes

War Crime

Meaning: Actions during war that violate international law
Example: Killing civilians, torture, using banned weapons
Why It Matters: Defines what’s acceptable in war

Crimes Against Humanity

Meaning: Widespread attacks on civilians
Example: Genocide, systematic persecution
Why It Matters: Different from war crimes - applies even outside war

Aggressive War

Meaning: Starting a war without justification
Example: Germany invading Poland
Why It Matters: Made starting wars illegal

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Historical Terms

Nuremberg Trials (IMT)

Meaning: Trials of major Nazi leaders after WWII
When: 1945-1946
Who: 24 defendants including Göring, Hess, Speer
Why It Matters: First major international war crimes trials

Tokyo Trials (IMTFE)

Meaning: Trials of Japanese leaders after WWII
When: 1946-1948
Who: 28 defendants including Tojo, Yamashita
Why It Matters: Similar to Nuremberg but for Pacific theater

NMT (Nuremberg Military Tribunals)

Meaning: Follow-up trials after main Nuremberg trial
When: 1946-1949
Who: Lower-level officials, doctors, judges, industrialists
Why It Matters: Extended prosecution beyond top leaders

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Key Figures

Noam Chomsky

Who: Linguist and political commentator
Why Relevant: Wrote essay analyzing Nuremberg Trials
Background: MIT professor, critic of US foreign policy

Telford Taylor

Who: Chief prosecutor at Nuremberg Trials
Why Relevant: Wrote book explaining how trials worked
Background: US Army colonel, later law professor

Radhabinod Pal

Who: Indian judge at Tokyo Trials
Why Relevant: Wrote dissent criticizing trials
Background: International law expert, only Asian judge

General Yamashita

Who: Japanese general in Philippines
Why Relevant: Executed for troops’ actions
Background: Established “command responsibility” doctrine

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Concepts

Operational Criterion

Meaning: Chomsky’s term for how war crimes were determined
Definition: “If enemy did it and we didn’t, it’s a war crime”
Why It Matters: Explains selective prosecution

Victors’ Justice

Meaning: Winners judging losers
Example: Allies trying Axis leaders
Why It Matters: Raises questions about fairness

Selective Prosecution

Meaning: Prosecuting some actions but not others
Example: Prosecuting German bombing but not Allied bombing
Why It Matters: Suggests double standard

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Technical Terms

IMT

Meaning: International Military Tribunal
Context: Main Nuremberg trial

IMTFE

Meaning: International Military Tribunal for the Far East
Context: Tokyo Trials

Harvard Law Library Collection

Meaning: Digital archive of trial documents
Context: Source for this analysis

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How to Use This Glossary

• While Reading: Refer back when you see unfamiliar terms
• For Understanding: Each term includes why it matters
• For Context: Historical terms include dates and key facts

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This glossary helps make complex legal and historical analysis accessible to general readers.