In spite of the directive of October 1951, the communists made little headway with their
bid for hearts and minds, as Chin Peng somewhat grudgingly concedes. In contrast to the
Vietminh (League for Vietnam’s Independence), the MCP failed to develop a national,
non-communal appeal. The Vietminh had the potential to win the allegiance of the
majority of Vietnamese, whereas Chin Peng could rely on only a portion of Malaya’s
minority Chinese community.