FLQ COMMUNIQUES, OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT STATEMENTS ON THE KIDNAPPINGS, LETTERS FROM THE HOSTAGES, PRESS REPORTS, EDITORIALS, AND CARTOONS ARE PRESENTED TO TRACE THE PROGRESS OF THE CRISIS AND TO EXAMINE ITS ROOTS IN THE FLQ'S ACTIVITIES DURING THE PRECEDING DECADE. ALSO SIGNIFICANT ARE 1970 POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN QUEBEC CULMINATING WITH THE LIBERAL PARTY'S VICTORY IN THE 1970 ELECTIONS. THE KIDNAPPINGS, FIRST OF BRITISH DIPLOMAT JAMES CROSS AND THEN OF PIERRE LAPORTE, THE QUEBEC MINISTER OF LABOR AND IMMIGRATION, ARE DESCRIBED IN DETAIL. SUBSEQUENT EVENTS DESCRIBED ARE THE TERRORISTS' DEMANDS FOR RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS IN EXCHANGE FOR THE HOSTAGES, THE GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL TO NEGOTIATE, THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS'S INVOLVEMENT, THE USE OF THE ARMY AND THE WAR MEASURES ACT TO TRY TO SQUELCH THE INSURRECTIONISTS. THE MURDER OF LAPORTE, RELEASE OF CROSS, AND SUBSEQUENT PRESS AND PUBLIC REACTIONS ARE DISCUSSED ALSO. INTERMEDIATE AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF THE CRISIS ON THE GOVERNMENT AND SOCIETY OF BOTH QUEBEC AND CANADA, AND ON THEIR FUTURE RELATIONS, ARE ASSESSED. IT IS CONCLUDED THAT, ALTHOUGH THE FLQ'S FUTURE IS UNCERTAIN, THE CRISIS HAS FORCED A REEXAMINATION OF QUEBEC NATIONALISM AND OF FUNDAMENTAL ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS IN THE PROVINCE. (CFW)