Chapter 2

Conquered by France in 1859, Saigon was influenced by the French during their colonial occupation of Vietnam, and a number of classical Western-style buildings and French villas in the city reflect this. The Paris of the East was invaded by the Japanese in 1940, much to the chagrin of Vichy France.

A well established French Import Export business, Augustin, had been extant in the city since 1860. One of the first French financial endeavors since the establishment of French Indochina in 1859, it was run by a French National with the interesting English name of Charles Austin, the business was profitable in both directions.

Charles was the father of Charles Austin III. The third Charles was a romantic. Although born in France ... his mother was shipped home immediately upon her discovery of 'expectations' ... Trois (Charles the Third) was all things Vietnamese.

He spoke the language, played with the children of the city and married a girl of French and Vietnamese parentage ... much to his fathers dismay. Emilie was beautiful ... spectacularly so...

Parental displeasure aside, life proceeds, as life must, and an 'interesting' event occurred. Trois was proud ... Emilie was proud.

Rather than follow family tradition, the child was born at home in Saigon, Indochina 1942, on May the 8th. The fifth generation of French Austin's was even more Vietnamese than his father.

Christened David Minh Austin, the stalwart lad was the pride and joy of everyone except his French grandparents. Trois purchased a Mass for the child before the christening. Upon receiving the sprinkled blessing of the priest at the baptismal font, David blessed the priest with a sprinkling of his own ... nay ... a veritable fountain.

His French grandfather, Charles, was heard to whisper, "an auspicious portent." to his mortified grandmother. Prophetic to be sure.

Minh celebrated his first birthday to the rumored news that the Japanese intended to quarantine the French. The United States had invaded North Africa in November with flocks of French soldiers surrendering. Resistance to the Allies was spotty ... to say the least. The news created a great deal of unrest in the French population of Saigon.

Free France began guerrilla operations in French Indochina during 1943, at which time many French Nationals were interned at the Martin-des-Pallières Internment Camp near Saigon.

'To keep them safe' claimed the Japanese.

'To rape the women' claimed the French.

At first, the Japanese internment camp was operated with the sprit of which it was intended. Although 'To keep them safe, ' also meant to 'remove instigators' from the population.

The Japanese tried hard to present the Vietnamese population with the idea that cooperation would lead to freedom under the benevolent protection of the Greater East Asian Co Prosperity Sphere. Therein lay the problem; the Saigonese Liked the French.