The hardest part in understanding Ernesto “Che” Guevara is deciding if the actions he took made him a villain or a hero. I have found most authors have struggled with this same question and most times result in being bias one way or another. The more accurate analysis of these stereotypes is to set in the middle of the two. Future revolutionaries of the world could learn a great deal from Guevara’s persona by embracing the ideology of both villain and hero and that is the formula to becoming a successful revolutionary. Che Guevara, like any revolutionary, was thirsty for change and he did just that as he was a great influence on the Cuban Revolution. To further understand why revolutionaries should show qualities of both a hero and villain, …show more content…
In Guevara’s speech to a group of medical students he says, “I came into close contact with poverty, hunger and disease; with the inability to treat a child because of lack of money; with the stupefaction provoked by the continual hunger and punishment” (167). Guevara claims this as a pivotal moment in his life because seeing those underdeveloped countries and how if effected the citizens living there, changed his aspirations of becoming a research scientist to a “revolutionary doctor”, but says there “has to be a revolution first” (171). I personally believe this experience fueled Guevara in wanting a revolution. Also, during Guevara’s motorcycle journey he came into contact with a woman who had a heart condition and was dying of severe asthma. A main contributor to her illness was the lack of medical treatments available. Understanding her pain, Guevara says, “I [had] a few Dramamine tablets left and I [gave] them to her” (71). Many find this as a heroic act from Guevara because he knew those tablets wouldn’t cure her, yet he still gave them to her. Michael Lowy, an author who believes Guevara to be a hero, describes him as, “the true communist, the true revolutionary who regards the greater problems of mankind as his own personal problem” (??). This is referring to when Guevara left Cuba because he felt he needed to help other underdeveloped countries become revolutionized. This …show more content…
Guevara had many roles during the revolution because the people listened to him; a main role being an important lieutenant to Castro during the Cuban Revolution. Castro ordered Guevara to lead many missions that would help achieve their goal of having a better, more just society. In Saul Landau’s Poster Boy of The Revolution, he says Guevara’s teenage lieutenant recounts the time he had been wounded in battle and said Guevara “Ran out to me, defying the bullets, threw me over his shoulder, and got me out of there. The guards didn't dare fire at him ... later they told me he made a great impression on them when they saw him run out with his pistol stuck in his belt, ignoring the danger, they didn't dare shoot” (??). This is another example that shows Guevara was someone who was willing to put their life on the line to save someone else. This was during one of the missions Castro had ordered, so Guevara fought and saved as many of his own as he could. Henry Butterfield Ryan, a supporter of Che, says, “Guevara suffered from a life-long asthmatic condition that might have prevented any other man from participating in guerilla warfare as he did, but he was determined to not let his ailment interfere with his ideals for a just society” (676). This goes to show nothing, not even an illness could stop Guevara for fighting for what he believed in. After the Cuban
Simón Bolívar was said to be a revolutionary during the period of the early nineteenth century because he wanted to change Latin America. His goal was to promote change and gain independence for the Latin American states from Spanish rule, and
Instead , the people of Cuba started slowly focusing on Fidel Castro, a rebellious leader who strongly opposed Batista, and Lenin, a Russian Communist Revolutionary. Castro traveled to Mexico in 1955, where he met Che Guevarra, who was a very important figure, giving him advice in succesfully defeating Batista.In 1956 Castro returned to Cuba along withhis brother and Che Guevarra . They launched a number of attacks against Batista's forces, however they lost,most of their men being captured. They escaped and hid in the Sierra Maestra Mountain Range, using guerilla war to successfully capture major areas of Cuba, causing Batista to fly to the Dominican Republic in 1959.Lenin, also a strong , rebellious figure in Russia, was exiled prior to the Revolution, focusing his energy on revolutionary politics. He returned to St. Petersburg and began working with other Marxist thinkers. Their ‘work’ attracted some unwanted attention and they were arrested and exiled to Siberia. He returned once more and stepped up, vocalizing his views . His number of supporters soon started increasing , mainly due to the devastating effects the war with Japan and WWI had on Russia’s economy, pushing people of all classes to side with Lenin. The “Bloody Sunday” pushed the Czar to offer several political concessions, most importantly an elected legislative assembly, or Duma. Lenin wasn't pleased, and believed that a
Fidel Castro was the man who successfully removed Batista from his cruel dictatorship. In Castro’s early life, he went to three expensive Catholic schools. He was good at sports, and participated and led camping and climbing exhibitions. Castro fought with the other boys and teachers frequently.
Methods: This investigation will describe Che Guevara’s involvement in Latin American independence movements, focusing specifically on his involvement with Fidel Castro’s “26th of July” movement. His actions and words will be analyzed, and his conduct this period of political upheaval will be used as evidence in order to answer the investigative question.
However, the revolution, led by Fidel Castro, brought hope for those who supported the fight against the repressive government in the island, but it also brought a red signal of danger and fear of Cold War to other countries in America, especially for United States. Even though the revolutionary Fidel Castro was friend with the Soviet Union, Cuba never played a big role outside of the island. Nevertheless, United State anti-communism policy encouraged a violent anti-revolutionary reaction that spreader all over Latin America in the 60’s and 70’s.
The time of the Cuban Revolution was a great deal of turmoil, not just in Cuba but in almost every corner of the world. It was 1945, shortly after the end of World War Two, the Cold War was taking off between the United States and the Soviet Union. Cuba, in the middle of its own war, was caught up in the international politics of the Cold War. The interaction between international and domestic politics played a major role in the outcome of the revolution. The result of the revolution paved the way for the era of Fidel Castro.
Planning each aspect of the Revolution, he compiled shipments of arms without the knowledge of neither the United States nor Cuban governments. He placed his heart and soul into the organization and preparations of the Revolution without complaint. As the Revolution dawned, he fought with dignity and purpose, serving his followers well into the revolution even after death.
It could be seen that McCandless or Guevara’s method was better, but the only one who made a real difference was Che Guevara. Chris McCandless and Che Guevara can be perceived as either white knights or as complete fools. Guevara is very split between people, as in South America he is a symbol of rebellion, while in reality he murdered meaninglessly in Cuba just to get the support of the people. Chris McCandless is considered either a strong, independent, man who left his home to live with nature, or a complete fool who’s arrogance cost himself his life. Regardless of opinion, it can be concluded that both these men had an significant effect on the people around them, whether it was in a negative or positive
Figures like Fidel Castro and Che Guevara tend to be attributed with the Cuban Revolution. When looking at Celia Sanchez’s influence during the revolution. It is clear that without her help to provide arms to the revolution after the landing of Granma then Fidel’s Revolution would have not been successful. If Vilma Espín had not convinced General Kirkpatrick of the CIA then the United States might have intervened to stop the Revolution. And without Haydée Santamaría’s ability to distribute Fidel’s “History will Absolve me Speech,” it is unknown if Fidel would have had the mass support to take control of Cuba. Their influence does not just stop but use the idea that Cuba is constantly in a revolution to push feminist agendas. This is where I began to connect their influence to the deceleration that sexism was over by Fidel Castro. Was the fact that he lived and fought with these women the reason he was able to justify
Ernesto “Che” Guevara was a part of the 26th of July Movement in Cuba. He became a revolutionary leader who inspired many and brought the guerrilla to victory in 1959. He was a part of the eighty-two men who sailed on the Granma from Mexico to Cuba in December of 1956 (Staten 114). The biographical film, Che: Part One directed by Steven Soderbergh, shows the journey of Che and the guerrillas as they attempted to defeat Batista’s military. Che: Part One is not simply just a depiction of Che’s life, but it brings you right into the action of the armed struggle the guerrilla faced. The revolution shaped Che into the leader he became. He started out as a simple doctor who wanted to bring the people of Cuba what they deserved. Che went through changes as the periods of the revolution went on. He grew to be a leader that would bring his people to the victories they achieved. Throughout the portrayal of the revolution, it can be seen how Che changes and adapts based on what situation he is facing and how the movie shows it. The film goes back and forth between the times Che is in Cuba fighting and after he wins the revolution and talks about his experiences.
The time of the Cuban Revolution was a great deal of turmoil, not just in Cuba but in almost every corner of the world. It was 1945, shortly after the end of World War Two, and the Cold War was taking off between the United States and the Soviet Union. Cuba, in the middle of its own war, was caught up in the international politics of the Cold War. The interaction between international and domestic politics played a major role in the outcome of the revolution. The result of the revolution left Fidel Castro in charge of Cuba.
The Cuban Revolution was a necessary act that attempted to improve the lives of the cuban population through many horrific events. The Cuban Revolution, which began in the early 1950’s, was an overthrow of a corrupt government. Throughout Fidel Castro’s multiple attempts to improve the horrific conditions of the Cuban population, the Revolution became a long and tragic journey beginning with the 26th of July Movement, to The Bay of Pigs invasion, to The Cuban Missile Crisis.
So from a young age Guevara was exposed to political discussions and debate in the house. Ernesto also had developed asthma from an early age on which had hunted him till his last days. His struggle to endure and overcome this asthma developed a notable will power and a sense of purpose to triumph over. Due to his illness as a child he was forced to spend long periods at home, and encouraged by his parents he became an passionate reader.
Like the much used stencil of Guevara's determined visage, the general perception of his life is flat and two-dimensional. No where more so, it seems, then in the country richest in Guevara's history, Cuba. An article printed July 21st 1997 in Newsweek, entitled 'Return Of The Rebel', explored Cuban society in the wake of the long-awaited discovery of Guevara's skeleton in Bolivian town of Vallegrande. In it journalist Brook Lamer explains how 'the Cuban Government played a pivotal role in creating the Che mystique, and it is not about to let its franchise slip away'[2].
It is hard to travel anywhere in the world without seeing somewhere the iconic image of Che Guevara on a T-Shirt, souvenir, or poster. The original photographer, and the Irish artist who turned that photograph into a print, are virtually unknown. However, their image has been redistributed to the point where it can effectively be called an icon or a meme. There is no small amount of irony in the fact that an icon of communism has become an emblem of capitalism: as the image has been bought and sold countless times in countless countries around the world. The iconic image of Che Guevara has a hipster chic to it, but also political panache. To don the Che Guevara image means one does not agree with the establishment and is part of the 99%. However, Che Guevara is a controversial figure too. The image has been banned in some parts of the world, because Che was a radical revolutionary who was not against the use of armed uprisings in communist revolts. Therefore, the iconic Che Guevara image created first in Cuba and turned into pop art by an Irishman is a paradoxical and typically postmodern cultural meme.