2\18\13

Karl Doenitz

2\18\13 Nuremburg Trials-Karl Doenitz Karl Doenitz was born on September 16, 1891 in Berlin, Germany. He enlisted as a sea cadet in the Kaiserliche MarineKarl which is the German Navy. He excelled in his classes and was told he was a gifted officer. Doenitz soon became a General Admiral who after a while would take in Hitlers footsteps as his the next leader or fuhrer. Karl was picked out by Adolf Hitler himself and appointed on January 30th, 1943 as Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. Another interesting fact is that he was the leader of the German U-boats arms. Even though Doenitz was not present for the most important war deciding meeting he still was a harm in control of the German Navy. Doenitz was very active in the war and that is where the Nuremburg trials come into affect. Punishing Karl for his essential navel part in the war. During in Nuremberg trail Doenitz was charged with waging unrestricted submarine warfare. The prosecution would settled on 3rd September, 1939. What Doenitz had done was very cruel. He was given commands to shoot down or attack any ships even merchants that where in their way or involved with them in any sight near the enemy. Also they were attacked without warning and killed any people shipwrecked survivors. The commands harmed many ships and were undoubtedly ambitious and this was highly considered in the trail. The evidence proved that Doenitz was guilty of a violation of the Protocols that were made. Another thing Doenitz was charged with was responsibility for Hitler's Commando Order of l8th October, 1942. He declaimed the responsibility, but admitted that he knew what he was doing was wrong. He was found guilty with charges of planning and waging a war of aggression and crimes against the laws of war, then was sentenced to ten years in prison.

In my honest opinion to fathom the injustice here is very hard because I believe he should have got a longer sentence and harsher punished for him crime. He killed many innocent people and its not fair to them that in just ten years hes free. He may have some good fighting points, but in the end what he was involved in was so much more than just giving orders and commanding the navy. He should have been given a worse sentence he came up with some terrible ideas just as Hitler came up with everything so he should be punished for what he did. I dont believe justice has been served in this case for the people he killed in America you would be on the death sentence for killing one person such as Casey Anthony. I do believe that the Nuremberg trails where a good idea but there where so many people involved in this mass injustice that I dont believe anyone could ever completely give the right amount of punishment to the Hitlers Army.

Citation: http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/meetthedefendants.html http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Holocaust/JudgeDoenitz.html

http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/naval/p/doenitz.htm http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/nuremberg/NurembergDoenitz.html http://uboat.net/men/doenitz.htm