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Chief American prosecutor Robert H. Jackson addresses the Nuremberg court, November 20, 1945.
Credit: Robert H. Jackson Center, © Raymond D'Addario
In 1945, Jackson took a leave from the Supreme Court to serve as chief American prosecutor at the Nuremberg International Military Tribunal. Jackson performed at Nuremberg with great vigor but mixed success, failing notably in his weak cross examination of Nazi leader Herman Goering, who used the opportunity to elaborate in detail on the justice of his actions.