One reason Che has become for so many people the face of revolutionary freedom struggles is, appropriately enough, that so many people have seen his face.

Thanks to the famous photograph taken by Fidel Castro's personal photographer Alberto Korda (and later sharpened by a young graphic artist named Jim Fitzpatrick), that face has appeared on thousands of T-shirts and been used to advertise numerous consumer goods.


One of the most famous photos ever taken
Venezuela, 2006
© 2006 Getty Images, Inc.

Another reason may well have to do with the integrity McCormick alluded to. Even though Che, a socialist, is sometimes criticized for his brutal treatment of foes and even for tactical mistakes, his integrity is rarely questioned.

Unlike many Communist leaders in the Soviet Union and elsewhere, Che resisted the pull of material comforts, living like -- and often worse than -- the poor people whose rights he championed. Never corrupted and seemingly incorruptible, Che once described his life as that of a "hunted animal."

For Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez (who is sometimes seen wearing a Che T-shirt) and left-leaning college students, the appeal of Che is clear: a man committed to socialist revolution who was prepared to suffer myriad privations in carrying it out. For companies trying to persuade those college students to buy their products, the motivation is clear enough.


Chavez and Che
Venezuela, 2005
© 2005 Getty Images, Inc.

But why has this advertising strategy proved so successful over the years? Why do you think the iconic image of Che is now associated with T-shirts, ice cream, vodka, cigarettes, and other goods produced within the very economic system Che attempted to destroy?

With reference to McCormick's article and two others from the History Study Center journals collection, describe three events from Che's life as a socialist revolutionary in Cuba, Congo, and Bolivia, which, if widely known, might make advertisers pause before using his image to sell their goods.