Tribute: Ernesto "Che" Guevara

I remember it was during my days at IU, when I first began to notice and admire this iconic face that was plastered on people's shirts, cars, walls, etc... The famous image often came with a title underneath such as "Viva la Revolucion"... At that time I didn't know anything about Ernesto Guevara, or the significance of his life yet I was still intrigued by the rebellious symbol. It would eventually inspire me to read and learn about the incredibly fascinating life of Ernesto Guevara, the Che.

He was born in Argentina and was raised into a middle class family. He had a severe case of asthma, of which would daunt him for the rest of his life. He was still an extremely talented athlete and also very intelligent. He went to school to study medicine just the same as his father.

I remember when I first watched Motorcycle Diaries in my apartment in Chicago, I suddenly began to understand Che's perspective. This incredible film, directed by Walter Salles, shows Ernesto's transition from a medical student to a political advocate. At the age of 23 he joins one of his best friends on a motorcycle road trip across South America, of which he gets a first-hand look at the exploitation and injustice in the world. It is during this memorable journey that Ernesto realizes there is a greater purpose in life for him. This film is based off of Ernesto's journal of the trip, and gives an extremely accurate insight into the mans life before he became "el Comandante." It's so incredible to see this young Ernesto Guevara, as a common good person, a promising doctor, handsome, intelligent, with good friends, good family, and a great life in Argentina, and to know that he will later give all of that up to fight for justice.

Following this film, I was further inspired to read more about his life, so I remember when I lived in Chicago I got this enormous biography from the library. I took the book everywhere with me; in my Greenleaf Apartment, on the benches of Rogers Park, riding on the L, and often on the airplanes to-and-from my work. I remember I was often cautious about hiding the cover of the book (a red, black, and yellow color with the famous guerrilla image). I loved the book and I loved to read it. I got further and deeper into Ernesto's life, especially his transition from medical student to his years as a wandering man.

In 1953 he traveled across Central America, and eventually settled in Guatemala, a country of which he saw great socialist progress under the presidency of Jacobo Guzman. Yet it was a year later that a successful coup organized by covert CIA agents established a new right-wing dictatorship under Carlos Castillo Armas. Ernesto was furious with the result and decided the only way to defeat American Imperialism was through an armed struggle. He therefore left Guatemala and moved to Mexico where he would begin his life as a revolutionist. It was in 1955 that he met Fidel Castro.

Ernesto decided to join Castro's cause of overthrowing Batista's regime in Cuba, which had become a U.S puppet. Fidel's organization was known as the 26th of July Movement. Ernesto became the group's medic, and had to go through intense guerrilla training in the mountains of Mexico. On Novermber 25th of 1956, 82 men set off for Cuba on a boat called the Granma. They landed under heavy gunfire, of which only 22 survived. They eventually organized themselves in the Sierra Maestra mountains, of which they spent the next 2 years building up their force. Once the rebels had destroyed many of the military outposts and had control of the mountains, they began their offensive. Ernesto lead his force into Santa Clara, which became the decisive victory for the 26th of July Movement. Batista fled the country and was forced to resign, thus granting power to Fidel Castro's revolution.

Following the successful Cuban revolution, Che served as one of Fidel's closest committee members, as an economic, military, and international adviser. He is given much credit for the Cuban Army's victory against the US-aided invasion of the the Bay of Pigs. During the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, Che was frustrated with the Soviet's influence on Cuba. He felt the USSR was using Cuba as a pawn against America. He spent the next several years working as a foreign diplomat traveling too many places, where he met many world leaders such as Mao Zedong. By 1965 he had grown tired of the politics, and wanted to return to his revolutionary cause.

He ventured to Africa to offer his guerrilla expertise in the conflict of Congo. Yet after seven months of struggle, he found that there was no unity or desire amongst the rebels, and that their cause was hopeless. He therefore left Congo, and lived secretly in Dar es Salaam and Prague for the next six months. By early 1967 Guevara was once again off to aid his expertise to a revolution. This time it was in the country of Bolivia.

As depicted in the film CHE, directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benecio del Toro, his mission in Bolivia was a failure upon arrival. Unlike his success in Cuba, where he had worked his way to the top, he arrived in Bolivia as a foreigner chosen to lead the revolution. This made many of the Bolivian fighters upset, and disloyal to their Argentine commander. To make things even more difficult for Che, was that the Bolivians were simply not as a passionate for revolution, as the Cubans were. Che found great difficulty in arising passion and unity amongst the peasants, and found that there was just no desire for change in the country. After nearly a year of traveling through the jungles and mountains of Bolivia, he was eventually tracked and murdered by CIA operatives.

Cultural Legacy
Ernesto Che Guevara represented the epitome of revolution. He was a fighter for the people, fighting against oppression, injustice, and inequality. Although he was a bloody mercenary, who used violence as a means of change, his purpose still cannot be denied. He gave up everything he had for the sake of mankind. It is this reason that Che has forever become a legacy.

Recommendations

Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson

• I spent much of my time in Chicago, with my nose deep into this paperback biography about Ernesto Guevara's life

Motorcycle Diaries

• Incredible film directed by Walter Salles, starring Gael Garcia Bernal as the young Ernesto Guevara, and Rodrigo de la Serna playing Ernesto's friend Alberto Granada... Much of my aspirations in life have been inspired by this film...

Che

• Great Biopic directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Benecio del Toro as the Che... The movie is divided into two films, one focusing on the Cuban Revolution and the other focusing on the Bolivian Revolution. The film has a very authentic, realistic look to it. I recently went on a splurge and purchased this $50 dollar DVD set. Although for the time it has hurt my pockets, I know it was a worthy investment and it makes me happy to see it in my collection.