Conversation

Highly recommend the documentary “The Movement and the Madman,” the story of the massive anti-war Moratorium demonstrations of Oct and Nov 1969 which—unknown to the protesters—had enormous effect in changing history, thwarting Nixon’s secret plan to launch massive escalation…
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in Nov 69 up to and including carrying out the nuclear threats he had been making. The scale of the demonstrations convinced him he could not implement these plans. He deliberately conveyed impression that demos had no effect on him, and as the war continued, many believed him.
But it turns out that all who marched and protested surely spared the world the first nuclear attacks since 1945 and saved countless lives. Lesson: we can’t count on knowing in real time or perhaps ever the actual effects of our actions for peace, whether large or small.
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