LE3 .A278 2023

2023

Sedgwick, James

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

History

History & Classics

Women employees of the Tokyo International Military Tribunal (Tokyo IMT) have been largely neglected by current scholarship. This thesis amends this deficit, exploring the diverse and significant roles occupied by women, and the unique challenges they faced in the hyper-masculine, patriarchal environment of the Tokyo IMT. Vulnerability, hope, and ambition defined the IMTFE atmosphere, shaped largely by the role of gender, which is explored throughout this thesis. It considers three prosecutors, Grace Kanode Llewellyn, Helen Grigware Lambert and Coomee Strooker-Dantra, as well as two secretaries, Willianna Abrams and Elaine B. Fischel. The professional and social experiences of these women are reconstructed using a selection of primary source materials, including IMTFE personnel files, personal correspondence, and written memoirs from private and public collections. Secondary research situates this history within its context and provides supporting evidence throughout the analysis. The institutional challenges imposed on women personnel are exposed, as well as challenges precipitated by the blurring of social and professional lines within the tribunal’s closed circle. Ultimately, this thesis reveals the formidable tenacity of the women of the IMTFE and their lasting, meaningful contributions to the tribunal.

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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:3989