When The Execution of Private Slovik aired forty years ago it became, according to some sources, the most watched made-for-television movie in American history. It starred Martin Sheen, featured Gary Busey and Ned Beatty, and even brought us the screen debut of Sheen's son Charlie. But casting does not explain why this harrowing film had such broad appeal in 1974- or why it's largely forgotten now. On December 10 at 5 pm, Chris Walsh will discuss the film and the book on which it is based, as well as the historical episode that the book and film depict-the 1945 execution of Eddie Slovik for desertion, the only such execution by the United States military since the Civil War. The film will be screened on December 8 at 6 pm. Chris Walsh is acting director of the College of Arts & Sciences Writing Program. His book Cowardice: A Brief History (Princeton University Press) was published this fall. His work has also appeared in Agni, Civil War History, Salon, the Times Higher Education magazine, The Yale Review, and elsewhere.