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Title: The African Dream: The diaries of the Revolutionary War in the Congo
ISBN: 0802138349
Author:
Ernesto "Che" Guevara
Publicate Date: 2001-10-07
Publish: 2001-10-07
List Price: $14.95
Average Customer Rating: 4.5
Format: Paperback
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Amazon Lowest New Price: $8.01
Amazon Lowest Used Price: $4.95
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| Customer Review: |
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1: Comments on "The African Dream"
I must commend Guevara for his courage and idealism. I also believe that the diary was a candid appraisal of the circumstances and events of the Congo war in 1965. The book is easy read, interesting, and at times funny (his description of the Congolese guerrillas shooting with their eyes shut was hilarious.) The book is not overburdened with ideological mombo-jombo.
Having read a detailed history of the Cuban Insurrection (Bonachea), the History of the Cuban Revolution (Thomas), and Guevara's own Bolivian Diary (which is also a very interesting book), I find Guevara to be a much better writer than he was military commander.
My reasoning is the following: The books speak for themselves; they are reasonably well written and honest. On the other hand, his military career started with a triumph; the Cuban Revolution. There was a country-wide insurrection going on in Cuba by the time both Castro and Guevara landed in Oriente in 1956. While most other anti-Batista leaders were killed during the next two years, Castro and Guevara survived to lead the insurrection to victory against the terminally corrupt and incompetent army of Batista at the end of 1958. As the old say goes: "the courage of your enemy honors you"...not much honor in that triumph. Batista's troops did not fight.
Six years later Guevara abandons everything in his quest for other struggles and revolutionary glory. It is now 1965 and he goes to Congo. He clearly (from his writings) counted on his fame rallying all the guerrillas to his banner and do an encore of the Cuban rout of 1958. He was wrong on both counts. Government troops fought well. He had to flee and he blamed the Congolese. Then he tried again in Bolivia. Once more he faced a determined enemy, his ego alienated the Bolivian communists, he blamed the Bolivians, and met his end.
Guevara was more of a Robespierre than of an Alexander.
But the book is good.
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2: Entertaining
While it might not have been intended as such this is actually a pretty funny read. 'Che' may have been motivated by high ideals but in his diaries he documents the nitty gritty of daily life and the trials of trying to whip a revolutionary army into shape. Frequently beset by attacks of 'the runs' (many times a day) and having to deal with Congolese soldiers who wanted nothing more than to run away from the first sign of trouble unless they had consumed their magic drink that made them impervious to bullets, the campaign seems to have been doomed from the start. If you want to get a different view of the reality of revolution from that presented in manifestos this strikingly honest diary seems like a great place to start.
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3: Che in the Congo
The African Dream is a great book for people interested to learn what happened during the first of Che's 2 "lost years." In April, 1965, Che left Cuba, not to be seen again until his murder in Bolivia in October of 1967. Che first tried to bring about revolution in the Congo, which was undergoing the beginning of the Apartheid government that was to take the lives of millions of innocent Africans in the coming years. In Che's own words, you will gain massive insight into what went on during that nearly year long struggle for freedom and justice.
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