The Eichmann case has served mainly to confirm the impression most Americans received 15 years ago after the Nuremberg trials rather than to shock them into a new awareness of the horrors of the Nazi regime, according to a survey of American public opinion on the Eichmann case made by the American Institute of Public Opinion–the Gallup Poll.
John Fenton, managing editor of the institute, reported to the National Community Relations Advisory Council that the major effect of the trial on American opinion was a reminder of the evidence it heard 15 years ago. He disclosed that awareness of the trial among the American public had been exceptionally high–87 percent–and noted that 71 percent of those polled thought that the holding of the trial had served a useful purpose.
The poll showed marked differences of opinion as to whether Israel was justified in putting Eichmann to trial for the murder of six million Jews before an Israeli court. Thirty-five percent said that trial by an international tribunal, was preferable. An overwhelming majority–72 percent expressed the belief that Eichmann was receiving a fair trial.
Mr. Fenton said that on balance, if the Eichmann trial had had any reaction in American public opinion, the positive aspects would outweigh negative effects.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
