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Fall of Che Guevara
Retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer Henry Butterfield Ryan shows conclusively that the U.S. government neither killed Che Guevara nor ordered him killed. This book tells the story for the first time of the United States government's response to Guevara's ill-starred insurgency in Bolivia in 1967. Henry Butterfield Ryan argues that Guevara's life must be re-evaluated in light of secret documents only recently released by the CIA, the State Department, the Pentagon, and the National Security Council.
200 pages, Audio Cassette
First published January 1, 1997
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
March 12, 2024
A very interesting, well-paced book focusing on Che's ambitious mission in Bolivia that led to his demise. The purported aim was revolutionary export into a terrain and social environment akin to what had proved fertile and successful in Cuba. Unfortunately for Che, he never gathered a popular backing, reliable supplies, effective communications and his band of 50 or so was frittered away. When Che fell the hands of the Bolivian army, he was in the hands of men that wished him dead. Probably most interesting is the story of how a government official worked to get Che's diary out to Castro and how Che's remains were treated for identification, the hands removed, and finally shipped off to Cuba.
May 21, 2023
It was interesting to clarify what actually happened regarding his death, but it honestly could've been explained in fewer pages. A lot of details were spread out and repeated over and over again. It got a bit repetitive
September 21, 2017
It is a good overall exploration of Guevara's final time in Bolivia from multiple perspectives. Worth a read, bu I recommend gaining a proper understanding of Guevara before hand.
March 9, 2019
In a word: gimmicky.
I would label this as lazy man history, this covers a slice of Guevara's life, but it's too short and trendy for me to take it seriously.
I would label this as lazy man history, this covers a slice of Guevara's life, but it's too short and trendy for me to take it seriously.
March 11, 2020
This is just a short history on the downfall of che. Not a very interesting death. Yet still enjoyable to read about
March 15, 2016
A well-written and well-researched history of Guevara’s ill-fated Bolivian adventure, mostly from the US and Bolivian perspective. Ryan looks at the US response and puts the whole episode into the context of US foreign policy (beginning with the Bay of Pigs and leading up to the formulation of US counterinsurgency doctrine)
Ryan’s treatment of Ambassador Henderson and Ralph Shelton (head of the US Special Forces detachment training the Bolivian Rangers) is mostly positive, and he ably describes Henderson’s and Shelton’s effort to keep the US role to a minimum, an effort Ryan treats favorably. Ryan also argues that Guevara’s Bolivian adventure did not translate into a split with Castro (arguing that it was basically a Cuban foreign policy venture rather than a quixotic adventure that Castro was skeptical about), and emphasizes Guevara’s ignorance of the country he was in. He also argues that the decision to execute Guevara was mostly one made by the Bolivians, and a decision the Americans opposed but did not fight. Ryan suggests that Castro viewed Guevara’s death as a favorable outcome and thus was not eager to aid the Bolivian adventure. Ryan also contrasts how Guevara’s death was widely commemorated by leftists in the West but virtually ignored in communist countries, where Guevara was spoken of critically when at all.
While the leftist mythology of Guevara requires viewing the US as Guevara’s ruthless and amoral enemy, Ryan debunks this idea, pointing out the efforts of US advisers to spare the lives of prisoners and the simple fact that the US government neither killed Guevara nor ordered his death. While the US did not order the execution, it made no serious effort to save him either. There is no evidence that the US ordered its own personnel to either kill Guevara or to keep him alive, although Henderson and the CIA’s people favored the latter.
A thorough and unsensational volume, although the author erroneously keeps referring to CIA officers as “agents”; one would think a former State Department employee would know the difference. He also refers to Gustavo Villoldo by his pseudonym.
Ryan’s treatment of Ambassador Henderson and Ralph Shelton (head of the US Special Forces detachment training the Bolivian Rangers) is mostly positive, and he ably describes Henderson’s and Shelton’s effort to keep the US role to a minimum, an effort Ryan treats favorably. Ryan also argues that Guevara’s Bolivian adventure did not translate into a split with Castro (arguing that it was basically a Cuban foreign policy venture rather than a quixotic adventure that Castro was skeptical about), and emphasizes Guevara’s ignorance of the country he was in. He also argues that the decision to execute Guevara was mostly one made by the Bolivians, and a decision the Americans opposed but did not fight. Ryan suggests that Castro viewed Guevara’s death as a favorable outcome and thus was not eager to aid the Bolivian adventure. Ryan also contrasts how Guevara’s death was widely commemorated by leftists in the West but virtually ignored in communist countries, where Guevara was spoken of critically when at all.
While the leftist mythology of Guevara requires viewing the US as Guevara’s ruthless and amoral enemy, Ryan debunks this idea, pointing out the efforts of US advisers to spare the lives of prisoners and the simple fact that the US government neither killed Guevara nor ordered his death. While the US did not order the execution, it made no serious effort to save him either. There is no evidence that the US ordered its own personnel to either kill Guevara or to keep him alive, although Henderson and the CIA’s people favored the latter.
A thorough and unsensational volume, although the author erroneously keeps referring to CIA officers as “agents”; one would think a former State Department employee would know the difference. He also refers to Gustavo Villoldo by his pseudonym.
October 9, 2012
Shortly after he died, over 50,000 people gathered at the Lincoln Memorial to mourn the death and celebrate the life of Che Guevara. I have never understood the appeal on this mountain guerilla terrorist. When a free copy of this book came to me, I decided to try to understand his mystique and appeal. I failed.
To be fair, this book does not try to explain Guevara’s appeal to skeptics, but to explain how he came to die and what happened geopolitically as the result of his death. I am no expert, but the book appears to do this well with a well established context, clear presentation, and, to a non-expert, sensible corrections to a number of the myths and false reports that have grown up around Guevara and his death. This is why I give the book four stars.
It my heart, it gets only three. The Guevara we meet is, quite frankly, a thug. A man addicted to violent revolution who had no desire to achieve his ends peacefully, and even underminded such attempts. He was an incompetent guerilla leader who made many fatal mistakes both to his followers and to himself. He was, by my morality, a truly vile and incompetent man who had so much ego that he could not, would not learn from his mistakes. Ryan makes this clear without putting it so bluntly.
I came away from this book still not understanding the appeal of this man, but I now have the information needed to tell those who venerate him that they are idiots and back it up with facts.
To be fair, this book does not try to explain Guevara’s appeal to skeptics, but to explain how he came to die and what happened geopolitically as the result of his death. I am no expert, but the book appears to do this well with a well established context, clear presentation, and, to a non-expert, sensible corrections to a number of the myths and false reports that have grown up around Guevara and his death. This is why I give the book four stars.
It my heart, it gets only three. The Guevara we meet is, quite frankly, a thug. A man addicted to violent revolution who had no desire to achieve his ends peacefully, and even underminded such attempts. He was an incompetent guerilla leader who made many fatal mistakes both to his followers and to himself. He was, by my morality, a truly vile and incompetent man who had so much ego that he could not, would not learn from his mistakes. Ryan makes this clear without putting it so bluntly.
I came away from this book still not understanding the appeal of this man, but I now have the information needed to tell those who venerate him that they are idiots and back it up with facts.
March 4, 2015
this was an ok book. I had long wanted to know more about this person who has become an icon to the left. while I think the author tried to stay uncommitted an for the most point succeeded...I think he gives Guevara way too much credit and leeway.
March 27, 2012
There are far better books that are much more informative about he life of Che Guevara out there which are far easier to read and stay interested in.
January 24, 2015
I don't get why everyone thought he was so great.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews