LGM Film Club, Part 508: 60 Minutes on Chiang Kai-Shek, 1971

This is actually a very good Morley Safer piece from 60 Minutes on Chiang Kai-Shek from 1971. It’s quite realistic about many issues–Chiang was not and never was any kind of beacon of freedom, in many ways Communist China and Taiwan weren’t that different, and that in 1971, it was time for the Americans to start moving toward China. Chiang himself is totally unhelpful in this interview, but the reporting is good and the Chiang ally toward the end who hates Mao so much he’s about to start drooling is pretty entertaining. Also entertaining is the new Japanese companies entering American consciousness at this time that Safer can’t quite pronounce right, such as Toyota and Mitsubishi. All in all, a reminder that at one time 60 Minutes was damn good television.