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| V. CRIMES AGAINST PEACE — FURTHER SELECTIONS FROM THE
ARGUMENTATION ON THE CHARGES OF AGGRESSIVE WAR |
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| A. Introduction |
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In count one of the indictment all the defendants were charged with
participation in the initiation of invasions of other countries and in the
planning, preparation, initiation, and waging of wars of aggression, and wars
in violation of international treaties, agreements, and assurances. In count
four all the defendants were charged with participation in the formulation and
execution of a common plan, a conspiracy to commit crimes against peace. Both
these counts were dismissed as to all defendants by the Tribunal in its final
judgment.
During the time when the invasions and wars in question were
prepared and carried out, the defendants held various command or staff
positions in the German Armed Forces. Four of the defendants were
assigned to central military agencies. The defendant Warlimont became Chief of
the Department National Defense in the High Command of the Armed Forces (OKW)
in November 1938. On 1 January 1942, the office chief of the Department
National Defense was renamed Deputy Chief of the WFSt (Armed Forces Operations
Staff). Defendant Reinecke was in charge of the General Armed Forces Office
(AWA) of the OKW from 1939 to 1945. Defendant Lehmann was Chief of the Legal
Department (WR) of the Armed Forces High Command from 1938 to 1945. Defendant
Schniewind was Chief of the Naval Command Office and at the same time Chief of
Staff of the Naval War Staff (Skl) in the High Command of the Navy (OKM) from
fall of 1938 to May 1941. The other nine defendants were commanders or chiefs
of staff of army groups, air fleets, army corps, or divisions.
Though
the indictment charges all the defendants with participation in crimes against
peace, not all of them were charged with criminal responsibility for
participation in each of the invasions and aggressive wars. Only the defendants
Schniewind Reinecke, Warlimont, and Lehmann were charged with responsibility in
the attack against Denmark and Norway (par. 16 of the indictment), and only the
defendants Reinhardt, Hollidt Schniewind, Reinecke, Warlimont, and Lehmann were
charged with criminal participation in the attack against Greece and
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