Albert E. Kane collection

Collection

Identifier: COU:905

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Albert E. Kane Collection was organized into five sections the first, I. GENERAL INFORMATION, which includes bibliographic information (this includes “Remembrances of Albert’s wife Kit, relating to the period when he was the Navy at the Japanese Language School at Harvard”), memorabilia, newspaper clippings and certificates (some of which are in an oversized folder). The second section, II. BOOKS, is comprised of a book by Albert E. Kane, a book by his friend Alfred C. Oppler (with a review by Kane), a Japanese Phrase Book and Conversation Book. The third section, III. CORRESPONDENCE, is organized by the person with whom he was corresponding. The correspondence is with various Japanese and one French acquaintance, the letters range in time from before, during, and after the war. The bulk of the fourth section, IV. PHOTOGRPAPHS, consists of photographs which came out of a scrapbook, and the folders are labeled accordingly. Each folder is separated in accordance with the scrapbook, with the country and city labeled on each folder and pictures from those places inside of the folder. The photographs are then labeled in “quotes” with the caption, if any, written underneath the photograph in the scrapbook. One folder in the fourth section consists of a photograph of Albert and Kit Kane, 1942, one of Albert Kane, 1945, one of Kit Kane and a Christmas card. V. SLIDES, consist of slides taken by Albert and Kit Kane of Hong Kong, India, Iran, Japan and Singapore.

Dates

Creation: 1914 - 1971

Biographical Note

Albert E. Kane was born on August 4, 1901 in New York, New York. Albert E. Kane attended Columbia College (1921), Columbia Law School (1923), and Columbia Graduate School (1923), receiving a Ph.D. in International Law (1938). In between receiving his graduate degree at Columbia and his Ph.D., Kane attended L’Universite de Dijon and L’Universite de Toulouse in France. Albert E. Kane also attended the Geneva School of International Studies and Michigan University to study Chinese. Kane then began working at a law practice in New York.

Independently, prior to Pearl Harbor Albert E. Kane had been studying Japanese, in a class taught by Robert M. Kamide. When that class ended he was enrolled in the Japanese language class at Harvard. Kane also had the opportunity to visit and make acquaintances in China and Japan. His book on China was published in Japan in 1937. After Pearl Harbor, on December 9, Albert E. Kane joined the Navy with the rank of Yeoman 2nd class, at what was then the US Navy Japanese Language School at Harvard. Kane attended the program until September 10, 1942 when he was promoted to Lt. J.G. and transferred to the Naval Intelligence Unit in Washington D.C. In Washington D.C. Kane worked decoding intercepted messages from Japanese Ships, etc. (Kane was in Capt. Roger Pineau’s group, whose collection is also at the University of Colorado Archives.) Before his discharge Albert E. Kane was promoted to Lt. Commander.

After 1945 Albert E. Kane began to work for various sections in the Department of State (Foreign Economic Administration). Kane worked for the Japanese Staff-Property & Institutions Section (1945-1946), became an Assistant Legal Advisor of the Department of State (1946-1947). He also worked for the American Embassy in Rome, Italy as the Assistant Legal Adviser (1949-1950). Kane then became the Legal Adviser for the Operations Research Office (1950-1952), Assistant Chief Counsel (1952-1954), and Attorney Adviser for the Public Housing Administration (1954-1958). Kane joined the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the Interior Department in 1958 where he remained until he retired in 1973.

Albert E. Kane married Kate Jacobs Kane on February 5, 1942. They had two Children Nancy Ruth Newman (1943) and David N. Kane (1945). Before his marriage Kane traveled through out China, Japan and India. He contributed a book and papers regarding foreign affairs in those nations, as well as many book reviews for the ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science. He was a member of the Washington Hebrew Congregation from 1949. On May 5, 1992 Albert E. Kane died of pneumonia at the age of 90 in Bethesda, MD.

Extent

1 linear feet (2 boxes and 1 oversize folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Albert E. Kane Collection consists of the World War II files of Albert E. Kane (1901-1992). Albert E. Kane attended various schooling, including various degrees from Columbia and other universities around the world. He was also a graduate of the Harvard US Navy Japanese Language School, then co-located at Harvard and Berkley in 1941, and later established at the University of Colorado in Boulder from (1942-1946). Kane traveled in Japan and China prior to World War Two. During the War Kane worked at the Naval Communications Annex in Washington DC where he decoded messages being intercepted from Japanese ships. After, he worked for various organizations in within the state. The collection consists of memorabilia, books, correspondence, US Navy and law certificates, newspaper clippings, photographs and slides.