The Movement and the “Madman”

The Movement and the “Madman” will tell how in the fall of 1969 two of the largest antiwar demonstrations in American history thwarted President Nixon’s top secret plans for a major escalation of the Vietnam war. Unknown at the time, these demonstrations helped save possibly tens of thousands of lives. 

Focusing on the grassroots October 15th “Moratorium” — a one-day national strike against the war by two million Americans — and on the dramatic November 15th “March Against Death”, followed by the enormous “Mobilization” antiwar rally in Washington, D.C., the film reveals how these protests undermined what Nixon called his “Madman” strategy to cripple North Vietnam, including the possible use of nuclear weapons. The film will present this dramatic confrontation through archival footage and original interviews with leading protest organizers, local activists, historians, and former Nixon administration officials.

Coming during the 50th anniversary decade of the Vietnam war, The Movement and the “Madman" will be the first feature documentary to highlight the power and impact of the antiwar movement, with lessons for today.

Executive Producer: Robert Levering
Producer: Steve Ladd
Director: Steve Talbot

Learn more: www.movementandthemadman.com