Che Guevara example essay topic

1 Ernesto Guevara: Man or Myth? Imagine trekking through the dense jungles of Bolivia with terrible asthma, fighting to liberate the oppressed poor of the nation. Now imagine being captured by the Bolivian army. Imagine being interrogated, tortured and then executed. Ernesto Guevara faced these conditions throughout his entire time as a guerilla fighter. Many people have mixed views on this man.

Has he become more of a myth than a talented revolutionary? Neither "Che" nor his use of guerilla was tactics were vital to the Cuban revolution. Many events in Guevara's early life inspired him to be the person he became. Ernesto "Che" Guevara was born on June 14, 1928 in Rosario, Argentina. His parents, Celia de la Serna and Ernesto Lynch, were known to be very militant to the dictator of the time, Juan Peron. To say the least, Guevara found himself in a very politicized environment.

By the age of two "Che" was suffering from severe asthma. This only made Che a more active child. "Playing games such as cops and robbers and trench warfare" (Anderson 14). 2 In his late teen's Guevara went on a motorcycle trip throughout South and Central America.

During his trip "Che" encountered many injustices done to the masses. Some would say that this voyage shaped many of his political views. In 1957, "Che" joined Fidel Castro in Mexico City. Ten years later "Che" was working towards the liberation of Bolivia and was captured by the Bolivian army. On October 8, 1967 Guevara was executed in Valle grande, Bolivia.

His hands were cut off so his body could not be identified, and his corpse was thrown in a mass grave along with many of his comrade's. Many people would argue that Guevara was a major component of the Cuban revolution. His theories were well known and he had many published works on the subject of guerilla warfare. Others would say that his image has become more of his claim to fame than what he did for the revolution. It is as if Che has become god- like. There are numerous arguments that have risen concerning Che's real participation in the Cuban revolution.

First, "Che served as a compelling symbol of the dedicated revolutionary whose actions were always consistent and in harmony with his moral ideals" (107). Many would also argue that Guevara was a tactical genius, which was made obvious when he published Guerilla warfare and invented his "foco" theory. Some would comment that Che's major success was his direct participation in the Cuban revolution. And that, "without Ernesto Guevara, Fidel might never have become a communist. Without Fidel Castro, Ernesto Guevara might never have become more than a Marxist theorist, an intellectual idealist" (53). 3 To say that Che Guevara was a necessity to the Cuban revolution would be a lie.

This man was dedicated only to being "An effective, violent, selective and cold killing machine" (106). While Guevara was commended by some for his writings on guerilla warfare others thought they were ludicrous. He stated that a group of 30 dedicated revolutionaries could topple an entire regime. To add to this, Che's "foco" theory was discredited after his capture and execution in 1967. Throughout the years Guevara has been connected with the strategic aspects of the revolution. In reality, "Decisions regarding tactics; strategy; resource allocation and political ties... were made by lesser known individuals from the underground movement, not Che Guevara" (Swig 9).

Che Guevara was not a communist the first time he met with Fidel. Before Guevara met Castro in 1957, he considered himself nothing more than "a non conformist with a keen sense of social justice" (24). Ernesto Guevara has become more known for his image, than as a man whose guerilla tactics were vital to the revolution. He has become a legend in the minds of many. "Che was transformed into a symbol of revolutionary commitment and heroism". Many Americans consider him to be a mere relic of the revolutionary 1960's.

In European nations, especially among the youth he has emerged as a pop icon with no real grounding in world history. Many of our nation's teens wear t-shirts adorned with his likeness. Yet they neither know who he was or what he stood for. Still, in Cuba, Che remains as a symbol of hope and perseverance among the masses of people.

It has been 4 said that "he brought to mind the image of Christ" (106). I have come to the conclusion that although Ernesto Guevara was not as vital to the Cuban revolution as many have thought. Che has become a symbol. For some he was a revolutionary fighting for the masses. For others he was merely an early terrorist who had impossible dreams of liberating south America.

Either way Guevara has become a myth, a legend. A man that lived his life for others yet never trusted anyone. Che Guevara will always be remembered as something. Be it a revolutionary or a god.