The War at Home (1979 film)
The War at Home is a documentary film about the anti-war movement in the Madison, Wisconsin area during the time of the Vietnam War. It combines archival footage and interviews with participants that explore the events of the period on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
The film focuses on student protests of government policies in the Vietnam War, clashes between students and police, and the responses of politicians and the public to the turmoil. Among the major events included is the Sterling Hall bombing. Intended to destroy the Army Math Research Center in the building, the bombing also caused massive destruction to other parts of the building, resulting in the death of a physics researcher, Robert Fassnacht, who was not involved in the Army Math Research Center. Bomber Karleton Armstrong, brother of Dwight Armstrong, is interviewed for the film, as is Paul Soglin, an antiwar leader who went on to be mayor of Madison.
In 2018, the film was restored in 4K and re-released.Cultural influence
Dialogue from The War at Home was used as samples in the song “Thieves” by the band Ministry on the album The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste. Bill Siegel, director of The Trials of Muhammad Ali, was inspired to become a filmmaker after seeing the film.
