An epic account of the decades-long battle to control what has emerged as the world’s most critical resource—microchip technology—with the United States and China increasingly in conflict.
You may be surprised to learn that microchips are the new oil—the scarce resource on which the modern world depends. Today, military, economic, and geopolitical power are built on a foundation of computer chips. Virtually everything—from missiles to microwaves, smartphones to the stock market—runs on chips. Until recently, America designed and built the fastest chips and maintained its lead as the #1 superpower. Now, America’s edge is slipping, undermined by competitors in Taiwan, Korea, Europe, and, above all, China. Today, as Chip War reveals, China, which spends more money each year importing chips than it spends importing oil, is pouring billions into a chip-building initiative to catch up to the US. At stake is America’s military superiority and economic prosperity.
Economic historian Chris Miller explains how the semiconductor came to play a critical role in modern life and how the U.S. become dominant in chip design and manufacturing and applied this technology to military systems. America’s victory in the Cold War and its global military dominance stems from its ability to harness computing power more effectively than any other power. But here, too, China is catching up, with its chip-building ambitions and military modernization going hand in hand. America has let key components of the chip-building process slip out of its grasp, contributing not only to a worldwide chip shortage but also a new Cold War with a superpower adversary that is desperate to bridge the gap.
Illuminating, timely, and fascinating, Chip War shows that, to make sense of the current state of politics, economics, and technology, we must first understand the vital role played by chips.
Reviews and Comments
“Remarkable…An eye-popping work, a unique combination of economic and technological—and strategic—analysis.”
Paul Kennedy
Bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers“The battle for supremacy in semiconductors is one of the most important stories in geopolitics, national security, and economic prosperity. But it’s also been one of the least well understood. Thankfully, we now have Chip War to give us a clear view and sharp read on this essential subject.”
Andrew McAfee
Coauthor of The Second Machine Age and author of The Geek Way and More from Less“Miller’s brain works like the computer chip he writes about. It is packed with dizzying, complex circuitry that results in sparkling clarity. He has written not only an amazing story, but also one of overwhelming importance that is both taut in style and epic in scope.”
Robert D. Kaplan
New York Times bestselling author of The Revenge of Geography and Asia’s Cauldron“If you care about technology, or America’s future prosperity, or its continuing security, this is a book you have to read.”
Lawrence H. Summers
71st U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and Charles W. Eliot University Professor at Harvard University“One of the most important books I’ve read in years —engrossing, beautifully written. Miller shows that, for all its manifest flaws and failures, the American capitalist system has repeatedly outperformed other systems and in the process has done much to bolster the security of democracy.”
Robert Kagan
Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution, Columnist for The Washington Post, and author of The Jungle Grows Back: America and Our Imperiled World“The future of humanity hinges on the ‘chip war’ between two ecosystems vying to design and make the most advanced micro-processors. Chip War provides just the historical perspective we need as the Sino-American rivalry intensifies. An indispensable book.”
Niall Ferguson
Milbank Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford, and author of Doom: The Politics of Catastrophe“Outstanding. Miller’s history of the chip covers all angles: technological, financial, and especially political….The go-to reference on one of the most important industries today.”
Dan Wang
Technology Analyst at Gavekal Dragonomics“Essential for understanding our modern world. With a sweeping narrative…Chris Miller tells how our chip-powered world has been shaped by constant battles—among innovators and technologies, among companies, among countries, and now, of critical importance, in the great power competition between the United States and China.”
Daniel Yergin
Pulitzer-prize winning author of The Prize, The Quest, and The New Map“Terrific…With extraordinary breadth and absorbing storytelling, Chris Miller traces the global history of the chips that rule the world. A timely tale of how we got to now and the high-stakes politics that will determine what’s next.”
Margaret O’Mara
Author of The Code: Silicon Valley and the Remaking of America“Captures the essence of the most critical and strategic element of the 21st century geostrategic competition. Brilliantly and entertainingly written, deeply convincing, and grounded in both history and technology. A tour de force!”
Admiral James Stavridis
USN (Ret); Vice Chair, Global Affairs, The Carlyle Group; 16th Supreme Allied Commander of NATO; and author of 2034: A Novel of the Next World War