First published in 1961, following the successful Cuban Revolution, this is Che Guevara's handbook for guerrilla war. Che considered that the Cuban Revolution taught would-be insurrectionists three fundamental lessons:

(1) Popular forces can win a war against the army.

(2) It is not necessary to wait until all conditions for making revolution exist; the insurrection can create them.

(3) In underdeveloped South America the countryside is the basic area for armed fighting. Covering guerrilla strategy, tactics, terrain, organization of an army, logistics, the role of women, field medical treatment, intelligence, propaganda and training, this is the key text to understand how revolutions can be fought and won by ordinary people.