The True Story of Che Guevara

I've done tons of reading and studying of this man, and was pleasantly surprised to see a documentary that captures all sides of Che, who was as imperfect as anyone is. This program does NOT portray him as Hitler, as some seem to think - it's a fair and balanced take on his story. Really well done...kept me glued to the TV and didn't cop out.

It looks like a good amount of research went into this, and there is also some great footage. Sometimes these kinds of programs can be dry and boring, but this kept me interested. Without revealing anything, you will truly get the full-rounded picture of Che, which is a great thing all around.

The pure fact that people are still in heated discussion about this man is testament to the importance of this broadcast and why this show and the man are interesting. For the record I watched the show but I never heard them compare Che to Hitler.

I thought this Doc gave a balanced informative  perspective on the life of a very complicated and controversial man. The pace was excellent and the show well put together. Many people idolized Che' wear the shirts, etc. but have no idea who he was and what he did. This film does a great job of telling you about Che from all perspectives. The man  made his mark for better or worse and the mere fact that people are still in heated discussion about it shows you that revolution continues as a result of him. This show is definitely worth a look.

"Che's life is an inspiration for every human being who loves freedom. We will always honor his memory."

~ Nelson Mandela

"Che is not only an intellectual, he was the most complete human being of our time – our era's most perfect man."

~ Jean Paul Sartre, renowned philosopher and author who knew him

This film does a very nice job capturing the revolutionary heroism of one of the greatest men of the 20th century.

If you enjoyed the film ... then you can read the 800 + page Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson (featured in the film) It is seen as the comprehensive and definitive work on the iconic legend.

For the previous incorrect comment on Che being a "killer" I would point out ...

"I have yet to find a single credible source pointing to a case where Che executed an innocent."

~ Jon Lee Anderson (* author of the 814 page – Che: A Revolutionary Life)

The only thing positive about documentaries, such as this, is they tend to inject a dose of reality into the discussion. Unfortunately, in trying to be 'even-handed' in their reporting, they tend to give the positive and negative sides of the story equal weight. I'm sure in a documentary about Ted Bundy they would try to show his good side too. That said this is a fairly good one in that it shows a more realistic side of Guevara than those love letters to a mass murderer like "Motorcycle Diaries" does.

Ernesto 'Che' Guevara was a true believer in the Communist Revolution. He was also a doctor who became a mass murderer in the name of that revolution. As for author Jon Lee Anderson's statement that he has "yet to find a single credible source pointing to a case where Che executed an innocent", I would ask Anderson, first, his definition of innocent as I suspect he, like many other communist sympathizing academics, believes anyone who is not a believer to be guilty and in need of being eliminated.

If Anderson would like to actually document many of Che's executions he need look no further than the anti-Castro Cuban community here in the US. Many of them have first-hand accounts of Che's murders of family members and friends that they themselves witnessed.

While Che had no problem putting a bullet in the back of someone's head, his preferred method of killing an enemy (anyone who opposed him or the Revolution) was to beat them to death with a baseball bat. In addition, if his enemy managed to escape his wrath, Che had no problem condemning that person's family members (parents, siblings, spouse, and children) to imprisonment, torture and execution.

Che is known to have personally murdered hundreds and to have ordered the deaths of thousands. The only reason he didn't kill millions is he didn't get the chance.

Anyone who reveres Ernesto 'Che' Guevara as a saint or martyr is either an ignorant, revolutionary, romantic or a borderline sociopath who would have no problem murdering anyone who did not share their beliefs.

Its not wise to comment on Che without realizing his true spirits, and his affection for the country he's fighting for. Unfortunately, the imperial countries cannot absolve their ruthless habit of colonization and subjugation of innocent people third-world nations. Sitting thousands of miles away from the actual revolution, and hearing merely the one-sided views of molded facts by the media is what American citizens are all about. They hate any country's growth, and Che's life was a fitting example. This show may explicitly portray certain facts, but to realize the true sense of the revolution, we should have been fighting for freedom. Unfortunately, that feeling has been buried along with Che and his comrades.