She makes the case that Ho's significance within the Comintern has been overstated by both leftist and anti-communist scholarship; she shows that there were other forces and personalities who played important roles in the formation of the ICP, especially when Ho's political fortunes were on the wane. Of special interest is her treatment of the impact on Vietnamese communism of the Guomindang and the Nanyang Committee of the CCP. She also highlights the importance of Ho's family and regional ties in his efforts to maintain his influence within the ICP. From the growing body of evidence now available, she creates the foundation for a historical profile of the Vietnamese leader, a departure from the myths of left and right which have in the past been substitutes for biography.