Stern Justice - The Forgotten Story Of Australia, Japan And the Pacific War Crimes Trials
By Adam Wakeling
Published by Viking Penguin Books 2018 1st Edition
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Stern Justice: The Forgotten Story of Australia, Japan and the Pacific War Crimes Trials, by Adam Wakeling, was published by Viking Penguin Books in 2018 as the first edition. This compelling and meticulously researched work uncovers Australia's pivotal yet largely overlooked role in the prosecution of Japanese war crimes following World War II. Drawing upon official records, trial transcripts, and personal testimonies, Wakeling reconstructs the complex legal, moral, and political landscape surrounding the post-war tribunals held across the Pacific, including those in Papua New Guinea, Borneo, and Hong Kong. Through vivid narrative and careful analysis, he reveals how Australian soldiers, lawyers, and administrators helped deliver justice to the victims of wartime atrocities while grappling with the profound challenges of fairness, retribution, and reconciliation.
Beyond the courtroom drama, Wakeling situates these trials within the broader evolution of international law and Australia's emerging post-war identity as a regional power. He examines the tensions between compassion and punishment, the legal innovations that prefigured later human rights conventions, and the uneasy legacy these events left on both Australian and Japanese memory.
Stern Justice stands as a significant contribution to military, legal, and diplomatic history—illuminating a neglected chapter of the Pacific War with clarity and balance. It would appeal to readers interested in Australian history, World War II studies, international law, and the moral questions surrounding justice in the aftermath of conflict."
Minor wear to cover as shown otherwise in very good to like new condition overall. Please study photos to understand condition. Happy to provide more photos on request.
