Soon after World War II, Allied leaders faced a difficult decision. They had to decide what to do with the hundreds of Nazi military criminals. The Allies decided to form an International Military Tribunal (IMT) to indict Nazi criminals based on four areas of crimes: "Conspiracy to wage aggressive war, crimes against peace, war crimes and crimes against humanity" (Timeline : The War in Europe and its consequences N/A). This court did not try those accused of similar crimes by the Allies. These sentences were passed on exclusively to Nazi supporters and the court considered most of the past charges to be in the "Crimes against humanity" category (History of the Holocaust N/A). These charges were leveled against 24 Nazi men who had actively or passively supported or taken part in the atrocities involving the concentration and extermination camps. One of these men committed suicide before the actual trial began, another committed suicide before the trial began, and a third was not healthy enough to withstand the trial. The other 21 men were brought before an eight-man panel, which formed the International Military Tribunal. Each man consecutively entered a “not guilty” plea and so the trial began. These men were the most dangerous men who perhaps deserved death. After the conclusion of this main trial, there were several other tribunals dealing with minor war crimes that did not necessarily merit death (History N/A). Hermann Göring was the main defendant during the main war crimes trial and before presenting his defense, he attempted to make a statement to the court; but the judge did not allow him to express what he wished to say. Hermann Göring “had been commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, president… middle of paper… what harsh prison sentences and three men were acquitted. The 12 men received their just punishment for the evil they had taken part in and the other nine men were most likely given more leniency than they deserved. Once this first and primary trial was completed, many smaller and less significant trials took place to adequately punish those responsible for the Holocaust (Timeline N/A). Works Cited "History of the Holocaust". The Nuremberg Trials and their legacy. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, 2012. Web. 08 March 2012. Kohl, Christiane. Witness House: Nazis and Holocaust survivors share a villa during the Nuremberg trials. New York: More, 2010. Print.Spielvogel, Jackson J. Glencoe World History: Modern Times. New York: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2005. Print."Timeline: War in Europe and Its Aftermath." PBS. PBS, January 3, 2006. Web. March 8. 2012.