Quote from Che.. - Supposedly right before he was murdered

[commie kg]

I ran accross this on a site somewhere:

I know you've come to kill me. Shoot, coward, you're only going to kill a man. - Ernesto Che Guevara (just before he was shot and murdered)

Is this an actual thing he said? Can anyone prove this?

[Larissa]

This is what it was always said, but actually, who can ever prove it? I think it's very likely that he did say something like that, but I guess we will never know for sure.

[Smoking Frog II]

Che could have said anything - there is no real proof. I think the guy who shot him is dead now, that bastard!

Che might have said anything. Perhaps it is best to not know. Che would be better remembered as we know him.

[chamo]

There are a few different editions on what was said exactly, but most are just alike. Some were confirmed by the Bolivian soldier who shot him, or the other Guerillas imprisoned in the schoolhouse at the same time. Some say the soldier was nervous when sent to execute him, some say he just did the job, maybe even with pleasure. Who knows for sure? I think it is quite likely that Che said this, however, as he had already been informed by the CIA agent he was to be executed.

[Wolfie]

Well, all the sources i have seen say that is what he says, it was confirmed by the soldier that killed him and the general, an american that i recently met even had the nerve to say it was made up by the cuban government to romantazize his death.

[El Barbudo]

Does it really matter if he really said these words? We don't remember Che for words he said but for actions he did. Some people say it's all about making a myth, a communist christ... It's not false. We can argue about many things on his life, but the fact is that he's dead. Arguiing won't change anything. So don't lose time, asking yourself questions you can't answer, and just think ''what a great man that was.''

[Pete]

Does it really matter if he really said these words? We don't remember Che for words he said but for actions he did.

Yes. And I remember him for both. Have you read any of his writings? They are brilliant! Both stylastically and theorically. His writings where part of his actions. They were speeches and articles for magazines and news papers. They effected the people of his day, as he was ahead of his time they affect us today as well. This man was a genius.

In Jon Lee Anderson’s account, Sergeant Terán volunteers to shoot Che. Che's last words, which are addressed to Terán, are "I know you've come to kill me. Shoot, you are only going to kill a man." Terán shoots Che in the arms and legs and then in Che's thorax, filling his lungs with blood. (Anderson, 796)

Source (http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB5/index.html#declass)

[Kapitan Andrey]

I heard something like:

"You came to kill me, well. Don't worry you willn't kill woman or child you will only kill the man!"

Nothing about "Shoot me, coward!"!!!

(Edited by Kapitan Andrey at 9:00 am on April 2, 2003)

[Wolfie]

Quote: from Kapitan Andrey on 8:57 am on April 2, 2003
I heard something like:

"You came to kill me, well. Don't worry you willn't kill woman or child you will only kill the man!"


Nothing about "Shoot me, coward!"!!!




(Edited by Kapitan Andrey at 9:00 am on April 2, 2003)


Ive never heard that one

[Kapitan Andrey]

May be all this difference is because of translations into English and Russian from Spanish...

[chhangte]

thats what i read !!!!!!!
Hasta La Victoria Siempre!!!

[Larissa]

Welcome to the forum Chhangte

[El Barbudo]

Bad translation from spanish is probably the reason why people argue about the ''REAL'' think he said... I don't really care.

P.S. Does anyone knows how you get Guerillero?

[Larissa]

Guerrillero: 50+posts
Check the F.A.Q. on the top menu.

[Larissa]

double post, sorry.

(Edited by Larissa at 12:49 pm on April 5, 2003)

[El Barbudo]

Thx...
Im actually reading a pretty good book about Che named ''Companero, life and death of Che''. It talks about all the version of the last sentence Che probably said...

[Rock1Renegade3]

I have heard that quote. Pretty damn good too.