Many books have been written about the Nuremberg Trial, but to understand the scope of the nearly yearlong case it is necessary to examine the actual trial records. They were published almost immediately after the trial—in twenty-two volumes of documents and testimony.

The prosecution's case at Nuremberg was not as simple and clear-cut as it might appear. The prosecutors could not simply point to the twenty-two Nazis in the courtroom and show that they had murdered millions of innocent people. In fact, none was accused of personally killing anyone. The charges were actually broader, aimed at demonstrating that they were part of an organized campaign to wage aggressive war and engage in genocide.

In addition to probing the individual responsibility of the defendants, the trial covered the criminality of groups and organizations, persecution of the church, economic looting, and the persecution of the...