World War II saw horrors unprecedented in human history. Tens of millions died, on the battlefield, and in appalling atrocities. At war’s end, the fight for justice began. Out of chaos and suffering, grew a quest for justice for those who’d been wronged, and an ambition to prevent such crimes from ever being committed again. In the face of genocide and crimes against humanity, who would pay for their crimes, and who would escape judgement? 

After Germany and Japan’s surrender, a series of historic trials took place in Nuremberg and Tokyo, but also on a smaller but no less important scale in domestic trials in places such as Norway, Poland and France. War criminals were brought to justice, and the foundations of a bold new legal order were laid. World War II: History on Trial is the story of these trials that helped shape the modern world.