A long and thoughtful look at those desperate days of October 1970, when Montre?al awaited the outcome of FLQ terrorist acts. This film puts the October Crisis in the long perspective of history. Compiled from news and other films, it shows independence movements past and present, and their leaders; it reflects the mingled relief, dismay, defiance, when the Canadian army came to Montre?al; and it shows how political leaders viewed the intervention.