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The Nanking Massacre and Other Japanese Military Atrocities, 1931-1945
INTRODUCTION TO UNIT 9
The Tokyo War Crimes Trials
Following the unconditional surrender of Japan on September 2, 1945, the United States and its wartime
allies pursued their goal of punishing the Japanese perpetrators of crimes against humanity, war crimes, and
crimes against peace. The groundwork for the Tokyo War Crimes Trials, International Military Tribunal for
the Far East (IMTFE), had been laid during several wartime conferences beginning at Cairo, Egypt in 1943.
Similar trials were already beginning in Nuremberg, Germany against Nazi perpetrators of similar crimes.
The Second World War had led to the death of more than sixty-million people, many of whom were civilians
murdered by the aggressive Axis Powers. Justice was now to be served on those accused of committing the
terrible crimes in the Asia-Pacifi c War.
General Douglas MacArthur created the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE), more
commonly called the Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal, in 1946. Eleven countries participated in the initial trials
of twenty-eight Japanese defendants, including nine civilians and 19 professional military men between May
1946 and November 1948. Additional trials were subsequently held in other countries, including the Soviet
Union. The results of these trials, however, would be very different from those of the Nuremberg Trials. Cold
War pressures would dictate not only an early end to the trials, but also severe limitations on the individuals
indicted as well as evidence presented. Unfortunately, these limitations set the stage for Japanese denial of the
guilt of individuals and the complicity of the Japanese Imperial Army and Government in the horrendous
crimes committed. This denial continues to the present day.
The purpose of this unit is to shed light on the Tokyo War Crimes Trials and to provide support to the
victims and survivors who have not yet seen justice.
Students will be asked to examine and assess the guilt and/or responsibility of various Japanese defendants.
In addition, they will examine the framework of the trials and attempt to understand the reasons behind
decisions made and verdicts reached. Students should then be able to determine to what degree the Tokyo
War Crimes Tribunal succeeded in its mission.
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