The full name of Che was Ernesto Guevara Lynch de la SerenaChe Guevara. He was corn in 1928 and died in 1967. He is known as the Argentinean revolutionary and the great leader of the communistic revolution. As a child, he was ill with asthma. This illness troubled him his whole life. He didn't attend primary school, he was taught at home and his mother was his teacher. His father had a well equipped library and Ernesto read many books of his father's. Before going to secondary school, Ernesto managed to read some of Freud's works, which he found very interesting. He attended the secondary school in Cordoba, The Colegio Nacional Dean Funes. He was especially good at literature and different sports. Personally, he had much interest in the refugees of Spanish Civil War as well as in Argentinean political life. The series of crises ended up in Juan Peron's dictatorship, which Ernesto found extremely dangerous and unlawful. All that was happening in Argentina, made Guevara hate the military politicians as well as the army. He was also definitely against the imperialistic policy of the USA. However, he was not a member of the student movements, which were the rebellion against Peron and his power. He became a student of medicine at the University of Buenos Aires (1947). At the beginning of the studies, he wanted to develop medical knowledge in order to understand his disease. But instead of studying hard, he wanted to travel around the country and get to know real problem of its people. He took of for his first journey in 1949. He was traveling on a bicycle on the north of the country. During this journey, he met the poor citizens of Argentina and the remnants of the tribes of Indians, which had lived there some tens of years before. When he passed the penultimate exams, Ernesto started the very long journey. Together with his friend, they were going form town to town and they did some casual work to earn their living. They got to the southern territories of Argentina, Chile (there Ernesto met Salvador Allende), Peru (he worked there in the leprosarium). Columbia, Venezuela and Miami. As they came back, he knew that he cannot become the usual doctor curing the middle-class. He took final exams and made the specialization in dermatology. Afterwards he went to Bolivia, at times of the National Revolution. He didn't stay there for long, and soon he moved to Guatemala. He earned money writing the archeological articles concerning Maya and Inca ruins. As he arrived to Guatemala, Arbenz, the socialist was the president. Ernesto was already well oriented in Lenin's writing and the admirer of Marxism. However, he didn't feel ready to become the member of the Communist Party. He met Hilda Gadea- the woman, who came from Indian family and who was the Marxist. They lived together and she introduced Ernesto to one of the lieutenants of Castro- Nico Lopez. He was observing the work of the CIA, who were the most important counterrevolutionary agents. He made his mind that real Revolution may be organized only by armed forces. After Arbenz fell, Ernesto traveled to Mexico City and there he worked as the doctor in General Hospital. He was accompanied by Nico Lopez and Hilda Gadea. Guevara found Fidel and Raul Castro really amazing and powerful politicians. He considered Fidel the example of the perfect leader. He became a member of the group of revolutionaries from Cuba, who were professionally trained by the captain of the Spanish Republican Army- Alberto Bayo. The captain was also the founder of Ciento Cincueto Preguntas a un Guerrileo from Havana. He gave the followers of Castro lessons on the theories and ideas of Mao Tse-tung. While on these courses, Ernesto acquired the name 'Che'. He soon became the favorite student of Bayo and the leader of the group. The trainings took place at the farm and the local police soon became interested in what was happening there. All members of the course were taken under custody for a month. The army of communists made the revolution on Cuba and Che was the doctor of this army. But soon, he was made the Commandante of the revolutionists. He was the strongest, most powerful, successful and intelligent officer. He was teaching his soldiers the ideas of Lenin. Moreover, he kept tough discipline in the army and without any hesitation killed all those, who opposed to him. Che became widely known as the cruel leader. He executed hundreds of the followers of the former president- Batista. As the revolutionaries reached their goal and became the rulers on Cuba, Che Guevara was already Castro's personal adviser, the second most important person in the revolutionary government. He was influential enough to make Castro the non-orthodox, independent communist. He took care for the leader not to follow the example of Moscow. Ernesto founded and became the director of the Instituto Nacional de la Reforma Agraria. He was in charge of the Department of Industries. He introduced new laws concerning agriculture. The government wanted him to become President of The National Bank of Cuba. Che made all non-communists lose their influence on government and on the policy of communists. He opposed against taking any advices concerning economical matters from the French and Soviet economists, who were asked by Fidel Castro for help. He was sure that he can take care of the economy on his own. He wanted to introduce communistic economy as fast as possible. Too rapid introduction of the diversification of crop and production, soon ruined the Cuban economy.
Ernesto Che Guevara married Aledia March in 1959. They went for the journey to Yugoslavia, Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan, India and Egypt. As they came back to Cuba, Che signed the trade agreement with the USSR, which made the sugar industry of Cuba independent of the policy of the USA. The pact was not only economical, but also ideological, Che wrote there: "It is not always necessary to wait until the conditions for revolution exist: the instructional focus can create them". This passage was the proof of Che's not really knowing the rules of the market. He believed in Mao Tse-tung words that the real revolution must begin on the countryside and be brought by the farmers to towns. Furthermore, he was then developing his own version of the philosophy of communism. His ideas may be summarized to the passage that "Man really attains the state of complete humanity when he produces, without being forced by physical need to sell himself as a commodity ". Che was not more the follower of the kind of communism developed in the USSR, but he rather followed Mao's way of thinking. The clearest proof of such attitude was calling the USSR 'a tacit accomplice of imperialism'. The reason for this was that the USSR had trade pacts not only with the countries from Communistic Bloc and that the Soviets didn't support the weaker socialist countries enough. He said these words in February 1965. Afterwards he accused the government of Soviet Union of betraying the ideals of communism, when trying to reach agreement with many other powerful countries.
Che was the initiator of the Tricontinental Conference, which was supposed to create strict rules concerning all possible kinds of cooperation with the countries from Africa, South America and Asia. Although he tried to reach some agreements with the USA, he soon became the opponent of Northern American policy. He couldn't stand their imperialistic ideology, which (according to Che) caused much evil in the countries of South America. Becoming the opponent of all possible pacts and agreements, Che was not helpful and necessary for Castro anymore. He was deprived of his posts and power (1965). He was sent to Africa, but the official announcement said that he died. Ernesto traveled in Africa. He spent much time in Congo, trying to make the Kinshasa revolution similar to a Cuban communistic one. He was sure that only such kind of revolution can make any sense at all. He went to Cuba to organize there the group of soldiers, who were supposed to become the leaders of the rebellion in Congo. The army consisted of 120 volunteers, well trained and dedicated to their leader. However, the people of Kinshasa were not as good and they were not able to cooperate. The Belgian forces were too strong and the Cuban forces had to be withdrawn from Congo.
The greatest revolution organized by Che was the one in Bolivia. Nevertheless it appeared another failure. Ernesto didn't realize the real potential of this country and was sure that the communistic revolution there would be successful, but he was wrong. The Army of Bolivia captured him and he was shot by Bolivian soldiers one day later.
Ernesto Che Guevara, although not really very successful in his actions, became the legend and the symbol of the communist revolutionary. He was admired by many for his non-conformist attitude, brilliant speeches, dedication to the ideals of revolution and self-reliance. He was also very good looking, which additionally made people like him. In the 1960s and 1970s, Che was considered the great hero. For thousands of young people, he symbolized the braveness in fighting against imperialism, capitalism and some forms of communism as well.
The remains of Che's body were found in Vallegrande in June 1997. They are identified and buried in Cuba.
