Were the Nuremberg Trials right? What do you say?

Saw an old film, black and white, on BBC2 called Judgement at Nuremberg. I must say as an erstwhile Dutchman in our schools at the time we learned, were taught about these things. Seeing the film threw up the selfsame feelings. Yes, millions died at the hands of the Nazis, Thousands were subjected to trials and were sentenced on grounds that were basically warped towards Nazi intentions. In other words if you spoke out, you disappeared. The judges went with the idea that they had to follow the ideals of the country. That despite knowing it was against moral principles, they deserved the death penalty. Just because the nation demanded it. In truth it was not really the nation demanding it, it was the ideology of the party in power. The NSDAP, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei (National Socialist German Workers' Party) or simply the Nazi party. Led by the beliefs of just a few men. Unfortunately a few bad apples infected many others. But there was something said as well, and that was about the guilt of the whole world. For instance when we could have stopped Hitler for instance, we allowed him to take the Sudetenland, play havoc in Austria; the Roman See, the Vatican even concluded a treaty with him! Even Churchill was reported to have said during the middle part of the Thirties that in case of serious upheaval it would be good to have somebody like Hitler on side. As Spencer Tracy said, ‘There is truth in that’. The question of collective guilt is an important one because we are facing it again, today! We are facing it with Russia. And not just them but with other countries as well. How guilty are we? Are we all guilty? I am afraid the answer is most likely to be a resounding YES! In the belief to appease, we have been and still are, making decisions that we hope will alleviate suffering but most of all will continue our easy lifestyle. Our trade, our greed. As the Judge said, how can it be good to send men to their death when knowing they are not guilty? Just because you believe that is what will save your country? Save your country from what though? Yes, the defendants were sent to life imprisonment but in almost all cases they did not serve the whole sentence and were released after 5 years or so. Again even in the arguments between American officers you could hear the differences of opinion just because the then political situation had worsened again with the Russian blockade of Berlin. It was felt by some that the German people needed to be 100% behind the decisions now to be made and if the defendants were to be executed or had life imprisonment that cooperation could be withdrawn. You see political decisions do NOT serve justice! The film showed indeed to that extent we are all guilty. Without any exceptions. Us, Americans, Russians, Indians, even Eskimos (but I am not sure about them). The final thing needed to be asked is this – Will we ever learn from our mistakes? Or will we be doomed to make the same errors over and over again?