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On December 11, 1964 the Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara delivered a a lengthy and disturbing political commentary before the United Nations assembled in New York. This speech signaled CheÕs movement from Cuban official to international revolutionary. (Mallin 32) He used the United Nations as a sounding board for his political philosophies. Che covered a wide variety of topics from admission of communist China in the UN, to the battle for African American civil rights. Even though GuevaraÕs political philosophies were divergent from the world leaders he was addressing, he claimed that his ultimate goal was the same many of theirs. ... Guevara stated:
We want to build socialism, we have declared ourselves partisans of those who strive for peac ‚e; we have declared ourselves as falling within the group of nonaligned countries although we are Marxist-Leninists, because the nonaligned countries, like ourselves, fight imperialism. (Mallin 111)
This was a unique time in Che GuevaraÕs revolutionary career. ...
Almost forty years later, as the century comes to a close, the legend of Che Guevara still lives on. ... The war cry of the worldÕs freedom fighters is ÒChe Lives!Ó (James 305) Che has become an inspiration for revolutionaries worldwide. Why does the l egend of Che still live on today? Guevara was afforded an opportunity to attract worldwide attention in his address to the UN, and he did just that. With the deliverance of this speech, Guevara began to play an international role in world politics. (Mallin 32) When Che had the worldÕs ear, what did he say, what did he communicate, what strategies did he use to make his message resonate not only in that day and age but for ages to come?
The answer to this question becomes more complicated due to the cultural gap that exists between Che Guevara and the Anglo focus of modern communications theory. ... (Gon Ezalez 276) Taking this issue into account, it is still apparent that the strength of GuevaraÕs speaking style comes from AristotleÕs concept of ethos. CheÕs life and actions hold the spirit of the underdog that appeals strongly to western society. Just as David defeated Goliath and George Washington defeated the British, so did Che face an insurmountable enemy and become victorious.
Historical Setting
Che Guevara delivered his address to the United Nations in a very turbulent age. ... Several peoples ôaround the world were facing CheÕs concept of oppression. The United States was actively involved in their policy of containment. ... Countries like Cambodia, Costa Rico, Puerto Rico, and Taiwan were facing the imperialism of western nations. Also, the peoples of the United States were engaged in a conflict at home fighting for equal rights among the races. Che addressed all of these issues in his speech. ... It was in this tumultuous day and age that gave rise to CheÕs address before the leaders of the world.
The focus of CheÕs speech was against the imperialistic actions of the United States. ... While the United States was engaged in World War II, they supported the forces of Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam. The United States was squarely set against ‰ French imperialistic forces that laid claim to the the area. The United States supported Vietnam being ruled by Vietnamese. ... France threatened not joining the United Nations if they were not appeased. In order to keep France aligned with other western countries, the United States switched positions and began supporting the French imperialistic forces, much to the dismay of the Vietnamese people. ... This key defeat forced the United States to increase support. By the time Che delivered his speech at the end of 1964, the United States had several milit „ary advisors and warships in South Vietnam helping the French in their cause. The United States had become deeply involved in FranceÕs imperialistic cause. ... The actions of the United States in Vietnam were directly set against CheÕs philosophies of anti-imperialism and self determination.
Che also called for action against the policy of apartheid in South Africa. South Africa was a victim to CheÕs idea of imperialism. ... He chided the inaction of the ruling nations of the world to stop these atrocities.
Guevara was well ahead of his time in addressing the issues of nuclear proliferation. ... With the advent of the nuclear bomb in World War II, the worldÕs nations were in a race to not only build a massive nuclear arsenal, but improve upon these weapons of mass destruction. ... Ironically enough, decades later the UN is still battling over the ban on nuclear tests Che called for i On 1964.
Guevara even touched on the civil rights struggle in the United States. At the time of CheÕs Speech, African Americans were struggling to gain equal civil liberties. ... Che was strongly moved by the plight of oppressed peoples, and he saw strong evidence of such attrocites domestically in a country that was taking dangerous actions towards Cuba. Che branded the U. ...
The last issue Che addressed was the movements of the United States against Cuba. ... The United States even prohibited the sale of medicine to Cuba. ...
The Speaker
Ernesto Guevara de la Serna was born on June 14, 1928, and raised in Argentina. CheÕs youth was defined by his asthmatic condition. ... Ó (Taibo II 4) Guevara did not let his asthma effect his passion for sports. ...
In his adolescence, Che studied medicine at the Medical School of the University of Buenas Aires. Che was interested in m
edicine due to his asthma. ... Che shied away from political activism. One of CheÕs collage friends Alberto Granados recalled when Che was asked to participate in demonstrations he would reply, ÒNothing doing Alberto. ... Ó (Mallin 19)
Guevara grew restless in the classroom, so he broke off his studies in 1953 and set out with Granados across the continent. ... Their final destination, before returning home, was the American city Miami. Guevara stayed in the States for over a month. This odyssey had a strong effect on Guevara. Danial James commented, ÒIf the twenty-four-year-old Ernesto Guevara returned home wiser and more mature than when he had left it, he was also more wor ried and confused. ... Ó (James 69)
Guevara returned to Argentina to finish his medical degree, and he received his diploma in March of 1953. ... Guevara began traveling again to avoid the draft.
Approximate Word count = 5292
Approximate Pages = 21.2
(250 words per page double spaced)
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