Justice Robert H. Jackson's Closing Argument at Nuremberg (July 26, 1946)

Justice Robert H. Jackson, the chief United States prosecutor, delivered his closing argument to the International Military Tribunal (IMT) at Nuremberg on July 26, 1946 (Trial Day 187). This statement has been deemed a forensic masterpiece. In these filmed excerpts, the scenes of Jackson in a long necktie are trial footage; the scenes of Jackson in tuxedo were filmed after hours, in the empty courtroom, for the U.S. historical record. For more information on the trial and the complete text of Jackson's opening and closing statements, visit http://www.roberthjackson.org.

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• Justice Jackson
• Robert H. Jackson
• Nuremberg trial
• IMT

[fitzy098]

His opening and closing addresses were brilliantly stated, but his flair for courtroom histrionics and stirring moral dialogues often belied the frank bureaucracy of the trial, and as such, Jackson was totally in contrast to the nature of the trial.

[fitzy098]

It's not that he was an inherently poor cross-examiner, but rather poorly organized. So often did Jackson have to refer to the prosecution's documents and articles related to the trial that he suffered from an inability to succinctly cross-examine his subjects, namely Goering. What's more is that the enunciation, definition and tone of certain German terms were consistently misinterpreted via IBM's translation devices.

[TheBirkettBoy]

unfortunately he was terrible at cross examination, such a key skill for this tribunal. However, this tribunal was a measurable success.

(don't flame me, speaking as a Historian and decedent of Norman Birkett)

[cuba8354]

i need to know what part he quoted Shakespeare.

[jamesjeffreypaul]

A stirring and moral condemnation--as if the whole civilized world were speaking. One of our century's great pieces of oratory.

[Oleee94]

is this when the nazis were executed? 12 ?