René Caty, fonctionnaire colonial (1930-1947)

By Gilbert-François Caty

Subjects: History, Diaries, Politics and government, French, Colonies, Agriculturists

Description: René Caty was 26 years old when he and his wife Margaret, landed in Indochina. A tropical agronomy engineer, he was called upon to lead a laboratory in plant genetics. Until his departure from Indochina, 17 years later, René kept a journal recounting his day to day experiences. It reflects the life of a public servant, the changes that occurred during that time and colonial practices. His journal describes a world of strange figures: tribes of the high plateaus, European adventurers, corrupt officials, hotheads, and businessmen. René also describes the uncertainty and violent rise of war, Japanese invasion, the emergence of the Viet Minh, along with bombings and indiscriminate killings. It is during this time that René faces the Japanese in Saigon and aids in the rescue of thousands of refugees.