Luke LaManna

His cache of medicine had recently been discovered and seized by the army. It was just the latest blow over the last long few months. In the spring, he and his men had launched a string of successful ambushes against the Bolivian army. They killed several soldiers and stolen supplies. But their attempts to grow the movement had stalled.

His cache of medicine had recently been discovered and seized by the army. It was just the latest blow over the last long few months. In the spring, he and his men had launched a string of successful ambushes against the Bolivian army. They killed several soldiers and stolen supplies. But their attempts to grow the movement had stalled.

In Cuba, Guevara had been able to recruit the local population to his side. Locals had provided shelter, food, information, and taken up arms. But that wasn't happening in Bolivia. It probably should not have been a surprise. For one, the region Guevara was in was sparsely populated, so there weren't many people to recruit. And the people were so far from the capital, La Paz,

In Cuba, Guevara had been able to recruit the local population to his side. Locals had provided shelter, food, information, and taken up arms. But that wasn't happening in Bolivia. It probably should not have been a surprise. For one, the region Guevara was in was sparsely populated, so there weren't many people to recruit. And the people were so far from the capital, La Paz,

that they didn't have much contact with the government. In fact, Guevara's guerrillas seemed just as foreign to the locals as the Bolivian ruling party, so they had little interest in risking everything to help Guevara overthrow it. And as the months had dragged on, morale fell. Some of Guevara's men deserted, others were captured,

that they didn't have much contact with the government. In fact, Guevara's guerrillas seemed just as foreign to the locals as the Bolivian ruling party, so they had little interest in risking everything to help Guevara overthrow it. And as the months had dragged on, morale fell. Some of Guevara's men deserted, others were captured,

and Guevara had reason to believe that some of them had talked because the soldiers seemed to keep finding the guerrillas' equipment stashes. And overall, the Bolivian soldiers seemed to be getting more aggressive in their fight against the guerrillas.

and Guevara had reason to believe that some of them had talked because the soldiers seemed to keep finding the guerrillas' equipment stashes. And overall, the Bolivian soldiers seemed to be getting more aggressive in their fight against the guerrillas.

Guevara was desperately trying to get word back to Cuba that they needed more fighters, but his radio had broken and he had no way to transmit a message. Meanwhile, their food was dwindling fast, the terrain was rough, and the weather was extreme. Sometimes it was brutally hot, other times the wind was so sharp it felt like it was cutting through their skin. And it was only getting worse.

Guevara was desperately trying to get word back to Cuba that they needed more fighters, but his radio had broken and he had no way to transmit a message. Meanwhile, their food was dwindling fast, the terrain was rough, and the weather was extreme. Sometimes it was brutally hot, other times the wind was so sharp it felt like it was cutting through their skin. And it was only getting worse.

Guevara felt their only escape from the soldiers was to go higher up into the mountains. But the altitude made Guevara's asthma worse. The attacks were so intense, they kept him awake at night. As he huddled against the rock, trying to sleep, he heard two of his men break out into a fight a few yards below him. One insulted the other's mother, and the two were soon yelling and shoving.

Guevara felt their only escape from the soldiers was to go higher up into the mountains. But the altitude made Guevara's asthma worse. The attacks were so intense, they kept him awake at night. As he huddled against the rock, trying to sleep, he heard two of his men break out into a fight a few yards below him. One insulted the other's mother, and the two were soon yelling and shoving.

This was the last thing Guevara needed. He knew he should go and break up the fight, but he couldn't work up the energy. Guevara had turned 39 a few months ago. He'd written in his diary that at his age, he was starting to wonder just how much longer he could keep fighting. But as the shouting between his men grew louder, he saw one man raise his fist to punch the other one.

This was the last thing Guevara needed. He knew he should go and break up the fight, but he couldn't work up the energy. Guevara had turned 39 a few months ago. He'd written in his diary that at his age, he was starting to wonder just how much longer he could keep fighting. But as the shouting between his men grew louder, he saw one man raise his fist to punch the other one.

Finally, Guevara lumbered to his feet and yelled down for the guys to knock it off. His voice was reedy and thin, but Guevara was still their leader. The men listened and stopped fighting. Two months later, on October 7, 1967, Che Guevara was lying in a potato patch in a narrow ravine high in the Andes. His ear was pressed to his radio.

Finally, Guevara lumbered to his feet and yelled down for the guys to knock it off. His voice was reedy and thin, but Guevara was still their leader. The men listened and stopped fighting. Two months later, on October 7, 1967, Che Guevara was lying in a potato patch in a narrow ravine high in the Andes. His ear was pressed to his radio.

He was listening to a report saying that the Bolivian army had encircled the guerrillas. By this point, he had just 17 people left in his group, down from the initial 24. The Bolivian army had continued to close in on them, and a small group of guerrilla fighters had been caught in several gun battles, barely managing to escape each time.

He was listening to a report saying that the Bolivian army had encircled the guerrillas. By this point, he had just 17 people left in his group, down from the initial 24. The Bolivian army had continued to close in on them, and a small group of guerrilla fighters had been caught in several gun battles, barely managing to escape each time.

By early the next morning, Guevara's men spotted the soldiers on the ridges of the ravine on either side of them.

By early the next morning, Guevara's men spotted the soldiers on the ridges of the ravine on either side of them.