Che and Fidel killed on their motorcycle trip

I remember the movie from a couple years ago about che and fidel and their motorcycle trip down through South America which supposedly inspired them for their quest.

But what if they had lost their lifes on this trip? No Cuban revolution?
 
Batista's regime was quite unpopular by the time Fidel Castro's regime took its place. This won't be butterflied away but without a leader for the communists there might not be a communist revolution but another revolution/coup later on. I don't know if there were any other Cuban generals who had enough influence and popularity to stage a coup if they wanted to.
 
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Batista's regime was quite unpopular by the time Fidel Castro's regime took place. This won't be butterflied away but without a leader for the communists there might not be a communist revolution but another revolution/coup later on. I don't know if there were any other Cuban generals who had enough influence and popularity to stage a coup if they wanted to.

Also what about the whole "We love Che" movement in the West? Then they wouldn't have had hero! Who would have been the hero insteed?
 
It wasn't Fidel. It was a friend of Che's named Alberto Granado.

Yes, that's right. Guevara didn't meet Castro till much later in life (in Mexico IIRC).

Without Che, Castro would prtobably still try to land in Cuba and start a revolution against Batista (he had planned this before meeting Che). If things go as IOTL, he and his camarades would probably still be spotted, and would have to flee to the Sierra (highlands). The question is, would they still be able to depose Batista without Che? And if he does, would he become communist?

No Cuban revolution (or a non-communist one) would make the history of such a timeline differ greatly from our own, since this revolution produced inmediat effects in the stories of Latin America, the US, Russia and the rest of the world.

A Communist Cuban revolution without Che would make this TL differ a bit less from OTL. But it will still differ, because:

- Che might have had an influence in Castro's decission to bring the Russian's (and their weapons into Cuba). No che might mean no Missils Crisis.

- Che's succes was an inspiration to many guerilla movements in Latin America and Europe from the 70ies onwards. Castro might replace him in this roll in TTL, but I think he'll be comparatively less "inspirational"*...so we might have less guerrila movements in the 70ies, which would radically change the history of the countries in which this guerrillas operated IOTL.

* After all, Castro (setting aside what I think of him) is a politician in power, and politicians have to make compromises, and take umpleasant meassures. Eventually he will adopt a meassure that will end up disapointing their most fanatic supporters. Che became a myth because he left Cuba soon after getting into power, and died fighting to make the elsewhere. He wasn't "worn out" by being in power for long.
 
Without Che means without Cuban Revolution. Fidel cannot stage a revolution alone.

What are you talking about? Che did play a role in the revolution in leading a column and providing medical attention however I don't think him never meeting Raul Castro would change anything at all pre revolution. His real impact came after power. The revolution is already going Communist because of Fidel's own interests and the fact that Raul was already a hardened Marxist.
 
The figure of Che is quite overvalued. Its importance and fame grew after his death and the sale of T-shirts that came after. While it is undeniable that their contribution to the Cuban revolution was important, I do not believe that his death in one of his trips to America could lead to no Cuban revolution.

For this, you have to kill Fidel and Raul, or at least keep Fidel in jail and not release it (the same was done with Hitler ( by the way))
 
I think the most important differences in post-revolution Cuba would be:

  1. Not so eager to spread the revolution in Africa and Latin America. Che was the most important supporter for military missions to other countries and lead all of them until his dead.
  2. The state of both the healthcare system and education system would be worse. Improving both was Che's pet project.
just my 2 cents...
 
Yes, that's right. Guevara didn't meet Castro till much later in life (in Mexico IIRC).

Without Che, Castro would prtobably still try to land in Cuba and start a revolution against Batista (he had planned this before meeting Che). If things go as IOTL, he and his camarades would probably still be spotted, and would have to flee to the Sierra (highlands). The question is, would they still be able to depose Batista without Che? And if he does, would he become communist?

No Cuban revolution (or a non-communist one) would make the history of such a timeline differ greatly from our own, since this revolution produced inmediat effects in the stories of Latin America, the US, Russia and the rest of the world.

A Communist Cuban revolution without Che would make this TL differ a bit less from OTL. But it will still differ, because:

- Che might have had an influence in Castro's decission to bring the Russian's (and their weapons into Cuba). No che might mean no Missils Crisis.

- Che's succes was an inspiration to many guerilla movements in Latin America and Europe from the 70ies onwards. Castro might replace him in this roll in TTL, but I think he'll be comparatively less "inspirational"*...so we might have less guerrila movements in the 70ies, which would radically change the history of the countries in which this guerrillas operated IOTL.

* After all, Castro (setting aside what I think of him) is a politician in power, and politicians have to make compromises, and take umpleasant meassures. Eventually he will adopt a meassure that will end up disapointing their most fanatic supporters. Che became a myth because he left Cuba soon after getting into power, and died fighting to make the elsewhere. He wasn't "worn out" by being in power for long.
Actually, Che was a strong proponent of aligning Cuba with China, because he saw their model as the better model (how right he was).

A Cuba with no Che might not be so different, although it might be more unstable without the unifying martyr figure that was Che, who sacrificed his life while exporting the revolution.
 
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