At the Nuremberg trials, held in Germany after World War II, many who were convicted of mass murder tried to excuse the crimes they committed by arguing that they were simply obeying orders.
بسیاری از مجرمان کشتارهای دسته جمعی در جنگ جهانی دوّم در دفاع از خود در دادگاه نورنبرگ این عذر را می‌آوردند که عمل آنان فقط اطاعت از فرامین بوده است .‏