Did the Nuremberg trials really make a difference?
One has to keep in mind that the Nuremburg trials were
in themselves an unusual event, nothing like that had
ever been done before.
And, unfortunately, hasn't happened since. Vladimir Bukovskiy, on the puzzling lack of curiosity regarding Soviet crimes against humanity:
WHAT IS going on here? In the aftermath of World War II, the leading Nazis were tried at Nuremberg. The trials were not beyond criticism, but their accomplishment was immense. At a time of madness and terror, they reminded a shattered world of the basic principles of our civilization, affirming the simple truth that neither the opinion of the majority, nor an order from a superior, nor even a threat to our own life releases us from personal responsibility for our conduct. Today, in direct contrast to the example set at Nuremberg, we have refused even to investigate the greatest evil of our time.