Che Guevara (1928–1967)

It is inevitable that anyone who reads this book would have vivid images of Che Guevra intruding into his or her mind. Who doesn't remember the stunning photo image of Guevra, said to be the most copied image in the world? Then the image of Guevra fighting through the marshes to capture Cuba, and then when Castro and the others set about rebuilding the country, taking his gun again to fight his lonely battles for liberation in other countries. And the last flashing image, a tired, defeated show more Guevra tied down in a shack in the jungles of Bolivia, shouting his famous last words to the drunk captain sent to shoot him and who lost his nerve in his presence, "Shoot, you fool, you are only shooting a man!"

But it is not Guevra as a revolutionary who wrote this book. Instead, it is a young Guevra, a loveable, fun guy who sets out to discover his homeland, losing his motorcycle into page 30 but continuing his travels, bluffing, scamming, working, stowing away, and doing whatever it takes to go on his way. He and his friend come across as two delightful guys with their humor, pranks and various adventures. We see the young Guevra without any false ego or pride, curious and sympathetic to his fellow men, moved by their sufferings, amused at the vanity of others who should have been more sympathetic, and yet always preserving his own humility and ability to laugh at himself.

It is said that when you love a book, you want to be friends with the author. After reading this book you are sure to want Che to have been your friend, to have taken you along for the ride... show less

“ This is not a story of heroic feats, or merely the narrative of a cynic. It is a glimpse of two lives running parallel for a time, with similar hopes and convergent dreams.

Nine months. On the motorbike La Poderosa II - The Mighty One, with Alberto Granado. Until it breaks down, and then “…just two hitchhikers with backpacks, and with all the grime of the road stuck to our overalls, shadows of our former aristocratic selves.” Subsisting mostly on bread, cheese, and mate. Two hungry show more doctors, on the road!

Learning more about leprosy. Ernesto’s asthma. That river dolphin story! Those poor peaches under the window! Begging for money, food and lodging. It's a good travel story, and I learned a great deal, flipping back to the map many a time to orient myself as to their whereabouts. The pictures in the middle are pretty dang good too! The book made me want to follow their journey, and see what they saw. I'm sure plenty has changed, but the plight of the people, especially the indigenous people, is almost assuredly the same. Easy to see why a revolutionary was born!

"The future belongs to the people, and gradually, or in one strike, they will take power. here and in every country. The terrible thing is the people need to be educated, and this they cannot do before taking power, only after." show less

This book taken at face value does not amount to much. It is the status of the mythical figure behind the text that gives the book its appeal. On the pages of these notes we observe the transformation of a bored middle class kid looking for an adventure into a person ready to sacrifice himself in a fight for dignity of those least fortunate. It is not surprising that the strongest passages in the book are devoted to the descriptions of terrible living and working conditions at the show more Chuquicamata mines, the constant humiliation of the indigenous people of Peru, the suffering of patients in leprosy colonies. The notes do not have significant literary value but you get a glimpse of a real person behind that iconic image - "the most famous photograph in the world". show less

As out of date as this book is, it is still of use for a historical and psychological look at the tactics of the guerrilla warrior.

Che's basic principles are simple - any guerrilla force, if properly trained and motivated and with popular support, can overthrow an unpopular repressive government and replace it with one which represents the popular will. Che's record was 1 for 3. Cuba being an unequivocal success, with the Congo less so, and Bolivia ending in his own death.

Some of his show more principles on tactics are long since out of date. The US Army no longer uses M1 Garands. Any practitioner of night warfare must note its difficulty ever since the invention of night-vision goggles, IR vision, and satellite imagery. However, some were out of date even on publication. I doubt that napalm and air strikes are an 'inconvenience'.

Nevertheless, many broad principles remain true. Become popular with the people through propaganda and good behavior. Move constantly. Out-endure the enemy, fire up the grievances against them. Attack supply lines and convoys with explosives.

What, then, is a counter-insurgent to do against such an army? I, a mere student of humanity, offer these few scattered suggestions.

-Maintain positive relations with the population at ALL COSTS
-Establish areas where the population feels secure, and systematically expand them
-Substantively address any economic/social grievances through investment in infrastructure, education, etc.
-Have a means for the population to voice grievances peacefully (democracy)
-Have competent governance
-Have a solid and reliable means of gathering intelligence, whether HUMINT, SIGINT, or alternates
-Have total control of the air
-Establish basic economic services, make the people feel more secure with the counterinsurgency present

All easier said than done. And what should the counterinsurgency avoid?

-Do NOT have an external occupier as the main force for counterinsurgency (See the average Libyan's view of the United States versus the average Afghan's)
-Do NOT coerce or intimidate the people
-Do NOT cause excess collateral damage
-Do NOT loot/steal/pillage supplies from the local population (Ex: See the 'Three-Alls' policy of the Imperial Japanese Army for what not to do)
-Do NOT forcibly move/resettle the civilian population. This will stir up resentment
-Failure in adapting to changes in tactics, communication, propaganda
-Above all, do NOT make your force appear to be the greater threat than the insurgents are.

For all of the book's flaws, it is still an interesting read - the psychology and the mind of the resistance fighter is similar, although the tactics are long since changed. show less