This blog post is the biography of Che Guevara. It goes into detail on Che Guevara's ancestry, his birth, how and why he became a revolutionary, his achievements, his death, and how he was immortalized after his death.
On October 8th, 1967, Bolivian forces, backed by the CIA, captured Che Guevara, who had become a famous revolutionary by then. One day later, a Bolivian Sergeant executed him by shooting him to death. They hoped to end his life before he became a symbol of hope for those fighting against the clutches of Capitalism. However, by executing him, they made him into what they didn't want him to become - a symbol of hope for revolutionaries worldwide. Even 50 years after his death, millions of people wear t-shirts with his photo on them. Even today, he is a symbol of hope for people fighting against oppressive governments.
So, where did it all begin? How did Che Guevara become a bigger-than-life figure? Read the biography of Che Guevara and retrace his journey to martyrdom that made him a legendary hero.
Birth
The Lynches
The Lynches are a family with a long history. They are one of the 14 tribes which settled in Western Ireland in the thirteenth century. But soon, they grew strong enough to control Western Ireland for the next 600 years. However, their reign ended in the eighteenth century when the revolutionary Oliver Cromwell overthrew their monarchy and set up his own control over England. So, fearing for their lives, several members of the Lynch family fled Ireland. One of the many such Lynch family members who fled Ireland was a man called Patrick Lynch.
Patrick Lynch
After fleeing Ireland, Patrick Lynch went to Spain. There, he slowly rose to the rank of a royal representative and became the Captain of militias.
After becoming a successful man in Spain, Patrick Lynch sailed to Argentina in the 1740s and became a wealthy landowner there. A few years later, in 1749, he married a girl from a wealthy family and settled in Argentina. Since then, the Lynches have become an integral part of Argentina. Patrick Lynch's descendants became soldiers who fought for independence, writers who blended reality and fantasy, and entrepreneurs who founded companies.
Men from the Lynch family shared one common trait - They were never satisfied with reality. Instead, they fought for the causes they believed in. That's why they could make a name for themselves in South America in the fields of literature, military, and politics.
Ernesto Guevara Lynch
Ernesto Guevara Lynch was one such man from the Lynch family who lived in the twentieth century, six generations after Patrick Lynch. But even though he came from a big family with a long culture, he had no degree and often involved himself in failing enterprises all his life.
On the other hand, his wife, Celia de la Serna y Llosa, was a responsible woman who came from another wealthy and high-class family in Argentina. She studied in the Convent of the Sacred Heart. As a child, she had wanted to become a nun. However, after being forced to recite the prayer 10,000 times in the convent, she stopped believing in God.
Wedding
Ernesto met Celia in the late 1920s, just after her graduation. After their initial meeting, they dated only a few months. Then, in 1927, despite the opposition from Celia's family, they got married. After their marriage, the couple moved from Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, to Port Caraguatay, near the border of Brazil and Paraguay. Ernesto tried to create a Yerba mate plantation there. Yerba mate is a herb used to make Yerba mate tea, popular in South America. Several months later, they traveled to Rosario, the third most populous city in Argentina.
A birth shrouded in secrecy
Celia was three months pregnant when she married Ernesto. But since they were from conservative families, they didn't want anyone to find out about it. So, when her first son was born on May 14th, 1928, they falsified his date of birth as June 14th, 1928. Then, they informed their parents one month after his birth, and they told them that the baby was born prematurely. Their parents believed them because a baby being born prematurely at seven months was not so uncommon back then.
This boy, born on May 14th, 1928, in Rosario, Argentina, is Ernesto Guevara. Even though he would later make his name known throughout the world as Che Guevara, his birth was shrouded in secrecy. So, it is no surprise that even today, most people believe June 14th, 1928, to be his date of birth.
While the Guevaras were celebrating the birth of Ernesto Guevara, a sad incident happened. His father's new idea, the Yerba mate plantation, had failed.
Ernesto and Asthma
When Ernesto was almost two years old, on May 2nd, 1930, Ernesto had his first Asthma attack. Searching for a climate that would reduce the severity of the disease, his family moved to different cities in Argentina. Finally, they arrived at Alta Gracia, a city in Argentina. In the following years, Ernesto's family relocated several times within Alta Gracia, and his father took up occasional jobs to renovate hotels.
Due to Asthma, Ernesto did not start school at the allotted age. Instead, his mother taught him to read and write at home. He only joined the school when he was nine years old, in the second grade at Jose de San Martin School in Alta Gracia.
Ernesto's family made several efforts to control his Asthma. But despite his family's sincere efforts, the disease stayed with him throughout his life. As his brother later recalled, Ernesto was a very sick child. However, his character and willpower helped him overcome his sickness. So, it's evident that Asthma did not hinder him. On the contrary, it motivated him to pursue several physical activities like swimming, cycling, playing Rugby, golf, etc. Due to his battle against Asthma, Ernesto came to believe that any task, regardless of how impossible it might appear, can be accomplished through enthusiasm, revolutionary passion, and unwavering determination.
Early life
While growing up, Ernesto and his four siblings - two brothers and two sisters, grew up in a completely different environment compared to their neighbors and friends.
Che Guevara (left), his siblings and his parents, 1944 - By Unknown author - Museo Che Guevara, Public Domain, Link
A leftist, atheist family
Maybe Ernesto was always destined to become a revolutionary, given the conditions he grew up in. While their neighbors were mostly conservatives and religious, the Guevaras had leftist views. While their neighbors' houses were kept clean and organized, their house was almost always in shambles. Their neighbors kept their children in check, deciding when they should return home, and whom they should play with. On the other hand, the Guevaras never controlled their children. So, the Guevara kids came home and went whenever they wished. They even hung around with children of agricultural and industrial workers of low status.
Moreover, their mother cut her hair short, wore trousers, and drove a car, something that outraged her neighbors. She and her husband collected books, which they lent freely to neighbors and friends. All these might have influenced Ernesto early on. It might have made him realize that their family was very different from other families.
The Spanish civil war
The biggest influence in Ernesto's early life might have been the Spanish civil war. Ernesto was barely eight years old when the war broke out between the leftists, including Republicans and communists, and the conservative nationalists. While all their neighbors supported the nationalists, the Guevaras supported the leftists.
Ernesto's uncle was in Spain reporting the war for a newspaper in Buenos Aires. So, he would regularly send letters to his family, explaining the progress of the war. Ernesto's aunt would then read out these letters while Ernesto listened intently. Ernesto would then take a map and put small flags on it, to indicate recent developments in the war. Indeed, he was so involved in the war that, even in the games he played in the backyard with other children, he reproduced war scenarios by digging holes and shouting, 'Onward militia. Long live the Spanish republic.'
Growing up in such an environment, little Ernesto might have developed his own ideals and a sense of social justice. He could have even developed his own understanding of what is right and what is wrong.
Ernesto and books
As a kid, Ernesto was handsome, with large, expressive eyes and an attractive smile. But despite being so handsome, he never spent time grooming himself. He wore the same shirt, that wasn't properly tucked in, and mismatched shoes. Instead of grooming himself, he focused on refining his mind by reading books.
Ernesto developed a habit of reading books very early. Due to Asthma, Ernesto had trouble attending school regularly. But there was no lack of books at home. So, he started reading these books that his parents had gathered. After all, his parents, both book lovers, had collected more than 3000 books. Therefore, since childhood, he read books from varied genres ranging from poetry to socialism. Among them were books from Rudyard Kipling, Karl Marx, and Vladimir Lenin. As he grew up, he also became interested in philosophy, particularly those of Buddha, Aristotle, and Sigmund Freud. He even noted down interesting concepts from various books in his own handwritten notebook.
Protecting those who were weaker than him
Even though he was the eldest child in the family, Ernesto was never bossy. Instead, he always protected his four younger siblings. So, it is evident that, since childhood, Ernesto had the habit of protecting those who are weaker than him.
When he was 14 years old, Ernesto went with his brother to work in the grape harvest during his holidays. Even though he worked there for only a few days, he learned of the abuse the workers had to endure.
Studying medicine
Five years later, in March 1947, his grandmother became terminally ill. So, he went to Buenos Aires to take care of her. Initially, Ernesto had wanted to study Engineering. But after watching his grandmother's agonizing death, he became aware of his inability to save her. Therefore, he decided to study medicine instead.
In 1948, Ernesto enrolled at the School of Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires to study medicine. After entering medical college, Ernesto wanted to finish his studies as soon as possible. So, he studied 12 to 14 hours a day. As a result, by December of his first year, he completed all the subjects required for the first three years.
Deciding to become a revolutionary
Solo journey
While Ernesto was in medical college, he was restless and had a desire to explore the world. So, in January 1950, he started touring the rural provinces of Argentina. Altogether, he traveled 4,500km using a bicycle on which he fitted a small engine.
The motorcycle journey that changed his life
Two years later, a 29-year-old biochemist and friend, Alberto Granado, convinced Ernesto to take a year off from studies. They planned to travel through South America, a trip they had been planning for years.
Their journey began in January 1952. Ernesto had a rough start due to the flu he contracted and a break-up letter from his girlfriend. Regardless, they continued their journey on Alberto's motorcycle.
They started in Argentina and traveled to Chile. They started on Alberto's motorcycle, which was nicknamed La Poderosa II, meaning, 'the mighty one.' Ironically, it broke down in Chile. So, they continued their journey through rainforests and deserts by hitchhiking, walking on foot, riding horses, and sailing on a ship. They slept in farms, garages, and police stations.
Che Guevara, 1951 - By His Father - Museo Che Guevara, Public Domain, Link
Copper mine
While visiting the copper mine in Chile, Ernesto was saddened by the way the miners were treated. He also met a homeless communist couple near the mine, who were searching for mining work. The couple had no roof above their heads, but only each other, to hug in the cold desert nights. Their sad situation made a strong impression on Ernesto, and he wanted to do something about poverty in the world.
After Chile, they traveled through Peru, where they met more people suffering from poverty. Their sad state solidified Ernesto's desire to do something against poverty. Finally, after visiting Macchu Picchu and other historical places in Peru, they arrived at the Leper colony in Peru. For the next two weeks, Alberto and Ernesto stayed there and helped out.
Leper colony
On June 24th, 1952, Ernesto spent his 24th birthday at the Leper colony, where the leper patients sang and played musical instruments for him. Even though it was a happy moment for Ernesto, he noticed how pitiful their lives were. He was deeply disturbed by the miserable conditions in which the patients were living. For example, the singer was blind. The accordion player had no fingers in his right hand. So, he had tied sticks to his hands to help him play the instrument. Almost everyone else had limbs that were deformed due to the disease. Moreover, there was almost no food, no medicines, and no clothes for the patients at the Leper colony. Yet they were happy just to be treated as normal human beings instead of being treated like animals.
After visiting the Leper colony, Alberto and Ernesto went to Columbia and then to Venezuela, where they parted ways. While Alberto stayed in Venezuela, Ernesto went to Miami through a cargo plane and then returned to Buenos Aires.
A changed man
Altogether, Ernesto traveled for 270 days, visiting 28 places, six countries, and covering 18,865km. By the end of the trip, he came to the conclusion that even though South Americans were divided by region into several countries, they all suffered from poverty and were mistreated in the same way, and the only way to save all of them was to create a United Latin America. Thus, this trip changed Ernesto into a different person. It played a crucial role in Ernesto's decision to become a revolutionary.
Ernesto becomes a doctor
After returning from the trip in September 1952, Ernesto started to prepare for his exams. In the seven months that followed, he studied vigorously and passed the remaining half of the 30 subjects in his curriculum. He got his medical degree and became Dr. Ernesto Guevara on June 12th, 1953.
After finishing his medical degree, he could have definitely obtained a position in a Buenos Aires clinic. Instead, he decided to travel to other South American nations and learn more about the people and the governments there.
Bolivia
One year earlier, in 1952, a national revolution had taken place in Bolivia. Civilians and miners, armed by a political party, had successfully made the army surrender. The revolution also led to agricultural reforms and the nationalization of some industries. So, eager to see the revolutionary government in action, Ernesto and his friend Carlos Ferrer traveled to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. However, during his time there, Ernesto witnessed the atrocities committed by the US supervisors against local workers. Moreover, he was annoyed by the way the Bolivian government treated native Indians. So, disappointed, the two friends left for Peru.
Jacobo Árbenz
When he was in Lima, a city in Peru, Ernesto heard about Jacobo Árbenz, the president of Guatemala.
In the 1950s, 70% of Guatemala's agricultural land was owned by only 2% of the population. So, many Guatemalan citizens worked for a US company, which was the largest landowner and employer in Guatemala. But after becoming president, Árbenz sought to end the foreign influence in the country and make it self-sufficient. So, he passed a bill that redistributed uncultivated land from wealthy landowners. The landowners were compensated with government bonds, while the land taken from them was given to their agricultural laborers.
Within two years of passing this bill, almost one-sixth of Guatemala's population had received land. This not only increased agricultural productivity but also increased the sale of farm machinery. As a result, living conditions in Guatemala improved considerably, and its dependency on foreign nations decreased simultaneously.
The United Fruit Company, which was owned by US capitalists, was the largest landowner and employer in Guatemala. It owned almost 467,000 acres of uncultivated land. When Árbenz passed the bill in 1952, its profits nosedived. So, Árbenz became the enemy of the United Fruit company and important political figures in the USA, who were linked to it. Therefore, the United States government decided to overthrow Árbenz.
After listening to this story, Ernesto Guevara wanted to find out what was going on in Guatemala. Moreover, he believed that he could better himself and become a true revolutionary in Guatemala. So, he dropped his plans of going to Venezuela and decided to go to Guatemala instead.
Guatemala
Ernesto and his friends reached the capital of Guatemala in December 1953. There, Ernesto sought out Hilda Gadea, who came from Peru. She was politically well-connected and introduced Ernesto to high-ranking officials in the Árbenz government.
When he reached Guatemala, he didn't have sufficient money. So, to support himself financially, Ernesto tried to find a job in Guatemala. However, he couldn't get a job as a doctor because he was a foreigner. Annoyed at the bureaucracy in Guatemala, Ernesto did not know what to do. But, Hilda Gadea helped him financially by paying his rent and lending him books to read. Soon, Hilda became Ernesto's helper, friend, and companion with whom he had intense political conversations.
Ernesto Guevara becomes Che Guevara
In Guatemala, Ernesto came into contact with Cuban exiles of the Moncado assault. Ernesto had previously met two similar Cubans in Peru. He struck an instant friendship with them and learned about the 26-year-old Fidel Castro, who, along with his 127 insurgents, had attacked a military barracks in Moncado to overthrow the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista. Even though the attack failed and Fidel Castro was imprisoned, their story impressed Ernesto, and he came to like the Cubans who fought against Batista. So, he connected with the Cuban exiles in Guatemala instantly.
While talking with them, Ernesto Guevara often used the word 'che.' 'Che' can be used to attract someone's attention, similar to the words 'hey' and 'buddy' in English. It is also used as a filler, similar to the words 'right' and 'so' in English. However, it is predominantly used only in Argentina, Bolivia, Valencia, Uruguay, and Paraguay. So, the word was foreign to the Cubans whom he talked with. Therefore, since Ernesto used the word often, they nicknamed him 'Che.' Thus, Ernesto Guevara became Che Guevara.
The conviction for using armed struggle
In 1954, the USA began its covert efforts to topple Jacobo Árbenz's government in Guatemala. As part of its Operation PBSuccess, the CIA sent weapons to Guatemala and incited hundreds of mercenaries and Guatemalan refugees to take up arms against the government.
Che Guevara, who liked Jacobo Árbenz's reforms, immediately offered to take up arms to defend the government. He joined an armed militia, which was organized by communist youth. But the group did not do anything. So, he tried to gather young men to take up arms. But the Guatemalans were not willing to fight.
The Guatemalan military believed that the rebels were backed by the US government, and a defeat was unavoidable. So, the Guatemalan military did not want to fight the rebels. Instead, they pressurized Jacobo Árbenz to resign. Therefore, Árbenz resigned, took refugee in the Mexican embassy, and asked all his foreign supporters to leave the country.
After Árbenz resigned, a friend working in the Argentinian embassy informed Che Guevara that the CIA was monitoring his actions. So, he took refugee in the Argentinian embassy in Guatemala. Several weeks later, he made his way to Mexico.
Che Guevara had always hated Capitalism and thought that it was the cause of poverty. The US's interference in Guatemala hardened his anti-capitalistic and anti-American views further. He even concluded that Marxism achieved through an armed struggle was the only solution against imperialism and Capitalism.
Mexico
Meeting Fidel Castro
Che Guevara reached Mexico by train in September 1954. His first few months were difficult as he did not have much money with him. So, he and a friend, whom he met on the train, bought a camera and offered to take pictures of strangers in Mexico city, the capital of Mexico. They developed the photos by striking a deal with a photo laboratory. Then, they delivered the lousy photos they took by walking from one end of the city to another.
After struggling for several months like this, Che Guevara found a job as a doctor for treating allergies. He also submitted research papers on allergies and gave lectures in the Faculty of Medicine at a university. So, he was offered a grant by the hospital for his contribution to medicine.
Moreover, he also worked as a freelance photographer for an agency. Therefore, his financial situation became better, and he started to go on tours across Mexico.
Once, in the hospital where he was working, he encountered his Cuban friend, whom he met in Guatemala. He introduced Che Guevara to Raul Castro, one of the members of the Moncado assault in Cuba. Raul Castro introduced him to Fidel Castro, his brother and leader of the Moncado assault. Even though the exact date of their meeting is unknown, it would become one of history's most important meetings.
The best guerilla
From the moment he met Fidel Castro, Che Guevara was impressed by Fidel's ideas and optimism. He was also convinced that Fidel's goal of overthrowing the dictatorship in Cuba was a cause worth fighting for. So, he immediately signed up as a member of Fidel Castro's revolutionaries.
Alberto Bayo was Cuban by birth. But he had worked in the Spanish military and later became a military trainer in Mexico. Alberto Bayo is the one who trained Fidel Castro's revolutionaries on the tactics of Guerilla warfare. Initially, Che Guevara had planned to be a medic in the group of Fidel Castro's revolutionaries. But, in the guerilla warfare training he underwent, he came first on all the tests and became the best guerilla among all his comrades.
Meanwhile, Hilda Gadea became pregnant with Che Guevara's child. So, they got married in August 1955. Their first daughter was born in February 1956.
To Cuba
The same year his daughter was born, Che Guevara, Fidel Castro, and other Cubans were arrested while gathering weapons. The Mexican police also found evidence of a training camp from Fidel Castro's residence. So, they were sent to prison for a month.
After coming out of prison, they resumed gathering weapons and prepared for an attack in Cuba. After finishing their preparations, finally, they decided to attack. So, on the night of November 25th, 1956, they boarded an old yacht, switched off all its lights, and set sail to Cuba.
Cuba, where history changed forever
Fulgencio Batista
In the early 1950s, Cuba was a prosperous country compared to many other Latin American countries. It was one of the five most developed countries in Latin America. Its GDP was almost equal to that of Italy at that time.
Fulgencio Batista had served as the president of Cuba from 1940 to 1944. In 1952, he ran for election once again. But after realizing that he can't win, he staged a military coup, canceled the elections, and took over the government.
The same year, Fidel Castro, who was a young lawyer at that time, circulated a petition to dismiss Batista's government since it had illegitimately canceled the elections. However, the court ignored his legal challenges. So, he and his brother gather supporters and attacked the Moncado Barracks in 1953. Their aim was to take over the barracks and obtain the weapons stored within them. They would then distribute the weapons to the public and encourage them to fight against the Batista government. However, the attack failed, and of the 160 rebels, many were killed or captured and executed. Fidel Castro and Raul Castro were captured, imprisoned, and then exiled. Fidel and Raul then went to Mexico, where they gathered money, weapons, and supporters to attack once again.
A US Puppet state
Meanwhile, Batista had converted Cuba into a US puppet state. The USA backed Batista with weapons due to his strong opposition to communism. In turn, Batista antagonized the Cuban people to make the USA influential in Cuba. Indeed, the USA was so influential that the US ambassador became the second-most important person in Cuba.
By the late 1950s, US companies owned 90% of the mines, 80% of the public utilities, 50% of the railways, 40% of the sugar production, and 25% of the bank deposits in Cuba. Moreover, Cuba's capital, Havana, became the center for American mafias, run by US citizens of Italian descent. Gambling, prostitution, and drugs became commonplace in Havana. So, in 1956, by the time Fidel Castro's yacht landed in Cuba, Batista was already hated by the Cubans.
Initial setback
On December 2nd, 1956, Fidel Castro and his revolutionaries, along with Che Guevara, landed on the southern coast of Cuba. Three days later, they were attacked by the planes and troops of Batista, who were alerted of their presence. During this attack, Che Guevara, who was the head of the health services, took a weapon left behind by a deserted comrade and started firing. Che Guevara, who, until then, had only used knives in surgeries to save lives, used a weapon for the first time in real combat, to end someone's life. This marked a turning point in his life.
Of the 82 revolutionaries, many were killed. Only 22 of them managed to escape into the nearby Sierra Maestra mountains. Che Guevara's group was split from Fidel and Raul Castros' group. But after a few days, they found each other and hid in the mountains. They lived among the peasants there and began their offensive against Batista's troops.
In the mountains where they lived, many people were illiterate, and they did not even have access to necessary facilities like healthcare, electricity, etc. So, Che Guevara set up schools and healthcare clinics for the welfare of the people. He constructed ovens to bake bread and workshops to teach military tactics. He also established a newspaper and a radio station. Thus, due to his contributions, Che Guevara came to be known as the brain of Fidel Castro.
The brain of Fidel Castro
After their initial setback, Fidel Castro's revolutionaries started seeing success. They excelled at hitting Batista's troops and then running away and hiding in the mountains before reinforcements arrived.
In the next two years that followed, they went from success to success. Che Guevara became instrumental in many of these victories. So, Fidel Castro, who was impressed by Che Guevara's abilities, made him the commander of the second army. Thus, Che Guevara became second-in-command of the revolutionaries.
As a commander, Che Guevara was very strict. He did not hesitate to shoot deserters and execute spies. But at the same time, he entertained his comrades by telling them stories from books he had read. So, he came to be loved by his subordinates.
The War begins
A massive attack
In May 1958, Batista's troops launched a massive attack against Fidel Castro's troops. But despite being outnumbered, they were able to thwart the attack. Che Guevara played a decisive role in this battle as well.
The counterattack begins
Three months later, the revolutionaries launched their counterattack, when Fidel Castro assigned Che Guevara the mission to take the war to the central part of Cuba.
Che Guevara and his troops traveled on foot. They traveled only at night to avoid raising suspicion. Despite being outnumbered by 10:1, Che Guevara's troops managed to continue their journey. On their way, they destroyed bridges, cutting off the supply chain of the military. They also destroyed sources of communication, thus causing confusion among the military. Finally, after traveling for 47 days and covering 500km, they reached Santa Clara, a city located centrally in Cuba. Che Guevara's arrival at Santa Clara was met with cheers from peasants.
The Battle in Santa Clara
Upon arrival, Che Guevara divided his 300 troops into two. While one group was engaged in combat in Santa Clara, another group was sent to take over the nearby hill. Batista's forces, who defended the hill, immediately deserted it upon seeing the revolutionaries. Upon reaching the hill, the revolutionaries learned of the arrival of Batista's reinforcements by train. So, they derailed it. The soldiers who were on the train were not used to fighting experienced Guerilla forces. Therefore, they immediately surrendered. This victory provided a massive advantage to the revolutionaries because they procured weapons and ammunition from the train, which helped them win the battle in Santa Clara.
One day later, the newspapers, controlled by the government, published that Che Guevara was already dead, to boost the military's morale. However, Che Guevara's radio station broadcasted that Santa Clara has fallen. It further announced that the revolutionary leaders are on their way to Havana, the capital of Cuba. So, more military garrisons surrendered upon the first sight of revolutionaries. Due to these recent military developments and the arrival of the news that his generals were negotiating peace with Che Guevara, Fulgencio Batista fled Cuba. The following day, Che Guevara arrived at Havana and took control of the capital. Thus, on January 2nd, 1959, the war had officially ended, and the revolutionaries had won the war.
By the time the war ended, Che Guevara was involved with another woman called Aleida March. So, he divorced Hilda Gadea. He married Aleida March in June 1959.
After the war
Immediately after the war, the new Cuban government, headed by Fidel Castro, wanted to secure their success. So, they wanted to execute traitors, war criminals, and Batista's collaborators. For this purpose, Che Guevara was made the commander of the La Cabaña Fortress prison. In the five months he held this position, he oversaw several trials and executed somewhere between 55 to 105 people. Even though it is an outrageous act of violence, the Cuban people, who had suffered terribly during Batista's regime, were overwhelmingly in support of these executions.
Simultaneously, Che Guevara started crafting the Agrarian reform law. This law, which went into effect in May 1959, took over the land in excess of 1000 acres from farm-owners. These lands were then redistributed to poor agricultural laborers in 67-acre units or held by the government.
In June 1959, Che Guevara traveled to several countries to improve Cuba's trade relations. When he returned three months later, he was made the minister of industries.
During his stint as the minister of industries, Che Guevara sped up the execution of the agrarian reform law. Simultaneously, he created and trained a 100,000 men-strong militia to protect Cuba from foreign forces.
Che Guevara's most successful accomplishment as the minister of industries was improving Cuba's literacy rate. Cuba's literacy rate before 1959 was approximately 67%. But in the year 1961, Che Guevara sent 100,000 volunteers to rural areas. These volunteers constructed schools, trained teachers, and taught poor peasants. As a result, in the next 25 years, Cuba's literacy rate rose to almost 100%.
Che Guevara and Fidel Castro, 1961 - By Alberto Korda - Museo Che Guevara, Havana Cuba, Public Domain, Link
Failing political measures
Thus, Che Guevara's initial political measures were successful. So, he became over-optimistic and started implementing extreme socialistic measures. He nationalized banks, factories, and businesses to reduce social inequalities and provide employment to everyone. Moreover, he introduced a moral system of conduct where every worker was required to produce a specific amount of goods. Those who failed to meet their quota were given pay cuts. On the other hand, people who exceeded their quotas were only given a certificate commending them. Even though Che Guevara had big hopes for these programs, they failed terribly. As a result, Cuba saw a sharp decline in productivity.
The trouble with the USA
Meanwhile, Cuba's relationship with the USA deteriorated. The Cuban government's agrarian reform directly affected US industrialists, especially The United Fruit Company. So, the USA responded by banning the import of sugar from Cuba. In return, Cuba responded by nationalizing US companies in Cuba. Moreover, Cuba reached out to the Soviet Union to establish trade relations. This led to increased tension in the USA. Therefore, the US government gave $13.1 million to the CIA to use against Fidel Castro. Using this money, the CIA trained 1400 Cuban exiles and helped them invade Cuba in 1961.
Even though the attack was well-planned, it failed because Che Guevara had trained his militia well, which was by this point almost 200,000 strong. But even though this attack failed, it made the Cuban government realize the fragile position they were in. So, Che Guevara, during his travel to the USSR, persuaded Soviet leaders to install nuclear-armed ballistic missiles in Cuba. This alarmed the USA. Therefore, the USA reached an agreement with the USSR to remove these missiles. In turn, the USA agreed not to invade Cuba again. If they hadn't reached this agreement, the USA and the USSR, which were already in a cold war, might have had a full-scale war. Thus, to protect Cuba, Che Guevara brought the world to the brink of a nuclear war.
The agreement between the USA and the USSR made Cuba realize that it was just a pawn in USSR's hands. So, Cuba's relationship with the USSR deteriorated.
Finding other trade partners
Since Cuba's relationship with the Soviet Union deteriorated, Cuba needed other trade partners. By now, Che Guevara had become a world-renowned revolutionary. So, many countries welcomed him. Therefore, Che Guevara used these opportunities to travel to other countries and improve Cuba's trade relations with them. He even went to the United Nations and spoke as Cuba's representative.
A True revolutionary
For several years, Che Guevara was the second most important man in Cuba. Now, he had become world famous as the epitome of the perfect revolutionary. But, suddenly, one day, when nobody expected, he abandoned all his positions in Cuba, and disappeared. The world did not know where he was. So, Fidel Castro read a letter Che Guevara had sent him months before. In this letter, he had written that he had relinquished all his positions in Cuba for revolutionary work abroad. After all, he was a revolutionary, and he wanted to share his revolutionary spirit, knowledge, and experience with the world.
Revolution in Africa
Che Guevara realized that the African countries, which were imperialist puppets, had a lot of potential for revolution. So, he went to Congo to help create a Marxist revolution against the government. However, his efforts ended in vain because the CIA, which backed Congo National Army, intercepted all his communications. So, they could predict his attacks and cut-off his supply lines. Moreover, the tribal leaders were corrupt. So, he decided to leave Congo. But he couldn't go to Cuba, because Fidel Castro had already read his letter, which was supposed to be read only after his death.
Revolution in Latin America
So, for the next few months, he lived a covert life. Then, in 1966, he decided to realize his long-cherished dream of uniting Latin America. So, he went to Bolivia to try and start a revolution there. His initial efforts against the Bolivian army were successful. He and his band of 50 revolutionaries successfully won several skirmishes against Bolivian troops.
However, the Bolivian people did not offer much support to his initiatives. Many of them even leaked his location to the Bolivian government willingly. Moreover, the CIA had sent its elite troops trained in jungle warfare. Che Guevara had only expected to fight against untrained, ill-equipped Bolivian forces. He did not expect the CIA to be there. Worse of it all, he and his troops did not have enough food, blankets, and shoes. So, they suffered from malnutrition. Che Guevara suffered from severe attacks of Asthma as well.
Becoming immortal
Capture
As a result, eventually, on October 8th, 1967, Che Guevara was caught after he got wounded and ran out of bullets in a fight against Bolivian special forces.
But even after being captured, Che Guevara was not scared. He kicked the Bolivian forces and spat on their faces.
Death
The Bolivian government wanted to avoid making Che Guevara popular by having a public trial. So, they executed him secretly to make it appear as if he was killed in combat.
Then, the Bolivian government displayed his body publicly for a short time when pictures were taken. Shortly afterward, his body was sent to an undisclosed location.
Being immortalized as a legendary revolutionary
The Bolivian government did not execute him publicly, so as not to make him a legendary hero. However, by killing him, they gave him exactly what he wanted - a martyr's death and reincarnation as a legendary hero.
Shortly after his death, the news of his assassination reached the world. People throughout the world participated in rallies condemning his assassination. Young men and women marched for several kilometers wearing Che Guevara T-shirts. Even today, people wear his T-shirts and fight against dogmatic suppressive governments. School children in Cuba begin each day by pledging that they will be like Che. In Argentina, schools were named after him, and in 2008, a 12-foot Che Guevara statue was unveiled at Rosario, where he was born. Even decades after his death, famous personalities all over the world commend him as a symbol of freedom. On the other hand, there are also people who consider him a cold-blooded murderer who executed exiles without mercy.
Facts you probably didn't know
- In February 1959, the new Cuban government declared Che Guevara a Cuban citizen by birth to honor his extraordinary role in the war.
- In 1995, a retired Bolivian general revealed where Che Guevara was buried. Immediately, the Cuban government started searching for his remains in the revealed location. Two years later, his remains were found and later reburied in Santa Clara in Cuba.
- Che Guevara hated Capitalism. However, his T-shirt has become merchandise of capitalistic industries, which sells even today.
- Che Guevara had five children from two marriages.
Conclusion
What can you learn from this biography of Che Guevara?
We hope that this biography of Che Guevara helped you learn more about him. We hope that we helped you understand how he lived, how he died, and how he became a legend after his death. There are three things that Che Guevara teaches us.
Firstly, if you believe in something, you have to fight for it. Che Guevara believed in revolution, and he strived to stay as a revolutionary throughout his life. Despite being the second-most powerful person in Cuba, he abandoned everything to search for revolutionary causes elsewhere.
Secondly, never give up in the face of adversity. He suffered from severe attacks of Asthma throughout his life. Yet, he never surrendered to it. Instead, he performed rigorous physical activities. Cuba was not his country. Yet, even when his revolutionaries were outnumbered by 10:1, he still found a way to take Santa Clara, which turned the tide of the war.
And finally, always keep reading and learning throughout your life, for reading gives you great ideas, and great ideas make you a great person.
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