Guerrilla Warfare by Ernesto "Che" Guevara Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $7.65 You Save: $5.30 (41%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $1.72 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Guerrilla Warfare
Book Review: An interesting glimpse into the mind of Che
Summary: 4 Stars
Whether you idolize or loathe Ernesto Che Guevara, it is undeniable that his revolutionary spirit and idealism are almost without comparison in history. This book provides a glimpse into Che's thoughts and plans for the future after the succesful otherthrow of the dictator Fulgencio Batista by Castro's Cuban revolutionaries.
Most of the book itself (123 pages of it) is an actual handbook on how to conduct guerilla warfare in an environment like the Sierra Maestra mountains. This part of the book is interesting for its brief explanations of how to make tank traps, molotov cocktails, and for its exploration of guerrila tactics, all discussed in a clearly didactic style. There are multiple instances in this part of the book where Che explicitly outlines the conditions that are absolutely necessary for successful guerilla warfare. However, it is his own neglect of these basic conditions that led to his eventual capture and execution in Bolivia (this is obviously not in the book). I personally, found Che's exploration of the guerilla fighter's psyche and motivations more interesting than the dated fighting tactics.
The book also contains two of Che's essays where he reveals his internationalism and calls upon the replication of revolution based on Cuba's example. In his "Message to the Tricontinental", he famously calls for the creation of "many Vietnams". These essays give the reader a sense of Che's long-standing antipathy towards the United States and other imperialistic regimes.
If you believe that armed struggle via guerilla warfare is the primary means for revolution, then you need to read this book (and find a jungle to carry out your revolution). If you don't believe that the "staccato singing of machine guns" will be able to bring down imperialist regimes, then this book may upset you or intrigue you for its irrelevance. Either way, it is a glimpse into the mind of a truly quixotic revolutionary.
Book Review: Bad book from a mad communist
Summary: 1 Stars
Here in Brazil, about ten years ago, I tried to read this bad book, but I never finished it.I tried to read, one book printed in Argentina, wrote in spanish.This book is bad about even guerrilla warfare.
In fact, never any of the tatics describe in this book gave victory to any army or revolution.The sucess in Cuba, came not from victory in battle.In fact, never happened a single battle in cuban revolution.It came from the cowardy of Batista and his mafia's government.
Ever when an army or even mercenaries TRIED to defeat Che Guevara, they got it, very fast and whith no dificulties.This happened in Congo, to exemple.Finally, in Bolivia, who wasn't and never was a military power, Che was ridiculous at guerrilla.Even so, Che Guevara was easily defeated in Bolivia, and murdered soon after surrendered in 1967.
In fact, any guerrilla in this world got any military victory, using Guevara's tatics and theories.
Many parts of Latin America had communists taking power, but in any of then using guerrilla warfare.
The ever used Gramsci's theories and books to take the power.
Brazil is an exemple.Our communists tried some guerrillas, using Cuba's money and support between 1960 and 1974.All of then were easily and fast defeated.
After all, our left has total control of this coutry, but from press, scools, TVs, etc. control.
As Antonio Gramsci wrote in 1930's Italy, when the left controls the intelectuals, the media, the school sistem, all society is put under left's control without a single shot.
This happened in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Venezuela,etc.
Book Review: Basic Tactics Peppered With Propaganda
Summary: 3 Stars
Interesting from a historical point of view. The tactics explained are very basic but would be useful for a rural insurgency. On a positive note, Che was very opposed to terrorism as practiced by his fellow travelers today.
The constant railing against "oppressors" is tiring in light of how Cuba (and N. Korea and Vietnam and the USSR and...) turned out. History has proven his argument to be essentially - join me in fighting your oppressors and when we win, I'll stay in power and rule you with an iron fist for the next 100 years.
Book Review: Behind Che's 'foco' theory
Summary: 4 Stars
A very insightful description of what was like to fight a guerrilla warfare in Latin America in the revolutionary 1960s. However, I would say that instead of being the "bible" for revolutionary guerrillas, Che's book was more or less a set of guidelines that drew most of its theory from his experience in Cuba. Che thought the conditions for guerrilla warfare could be created, rather than resulting from a set of vital circumstances for a revolutionary army to evolve, such as widespread discontent with the status quo and a pattern of repression that comes prior to a popular armed struggle. Again, because Che takes his theory from the Cuban campaign, it only deals with rural warfare, in a predominantly rural country. Forty years afterwards, most of the population in Latin America live in Urban centers, and Che's theory is far outdated to deal with events nowadays
In "guerrilla warfare" Che still highlights an unavoidable truth: strong support from the population is vital to keep an insurgency alive, if not victorious.
The "Shining Path" guerrillas in Peru lost popular ground because they alienated the peasants by repressing them as bad as the Army
In Colombia, the FARC have lost to the army vast areas formerly under its control because they have engaged in atrocities that have brought about considerable support in favor of a hardline government
In contrast, the Zapatistas in southern Mexico still are holding on, because they have not only support in their country, but also abroad
The reviewer who said that guerrillas (not 'gorillas') could no longer deal with a sophisticated counterinsurgency army, may want to give a look at the Iraqi fiasco. A growing and more sophisticated (in tactics, not in equipment) guerrilla campaign is being fought every hour of the day in Iraq, with no sign of slowing down. I wish some good book about modern Urban guerrilla warfare, apart from Urbano's, would come out any time soon, in which the Iraqi model could analysed and compared to other similar situations
Book Review: Buy it. Read it. Understand it. Live it.
Summary: 5 Stars
As time progresses, things change. This masterpiece shall be read forever