Communism as another strong ideological current in the first half of the twentieth century. Several movements were formed across who had travelled to Europe and the experience of the Russian revolution. While several failed miserably in their initial attempts at societal transformations, other persisted, created external allies and became powerful vehicles for popular mobilization. The Chinese communist movement added further inspiration as it gained ascendency among the peasantry, organized an effective army and finally gained power in 1949. Along similar lines, the Vietnamese communist movement organized an effective army and inspired large numbers of Vietnamese to resist French and later American control. Its influence and organizational skills also spread to the Khmer and Lao communist movement