Microchips sit at the heart of a growing geopolitical contest between the US and China, with Taiwan’s semiconductor dominance raising the stakes. China’s push to build a self-sufficient chip industry faces Cold War-style challenges, from talent retention to policy constraints, while the US works to reshore production and reduce foreign dependence. These efforts echo an earlier tech rivalry between the US and the USSR, whose outcome not only cemented Silicon Valley’s global influence but now informs modern strategy, especially as Taiwan’s security remains uncertain.
So how did the US pull ahead in the Cold War microchip race in the first place? Read on to find out.