The hottest Cold War Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top World Politics Topics

“There is a great disorder under the heaven. The situation is excellent”

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 921 implied HN points • 08 Mar 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Mao’s idea of “continuous revolution” came from a sincere belief that socialism would recreate new hierarchies, so periodic upheaval was needed to prevent a bureaucratic class from forming.
  2. Lin Biao’s flight is ambiguous and not clearly a planned coup; the evidence suggests he may have fled primarily to save himself, leaving his broader intentions unresolved.
  3. Strong leftist support in industrial cities owed as much to the Cultural Revolution’s anti‑hierarchical, liberatory appeal as to elite intrigue, since many workers saw chaos and breakdown of norms as a form of freedom.

How a Government Think Tank Trained The First Generation of US Software Developers

Construction Physics • 24010 implied HN points • 26 Nov 25
đź•ą Technology Cold War
  1. The US government played a big role in developing early computers and software, especially for military purposes. This support helped lay the groundwork for the software industry we know today.
  2. The SAGE project was a major effort to create a computer-based air defense system. It required a lot of programmers, leading to the creation of the System Development Corporation, which trained many of the first software developers.
  3. As programmers gained experience from SAGE, they moved on to other companies, helping expand the software field. This high turnover made SDC a sort of training ground for new talent in programming.

Why 1967 was a pivotal year.

Gordian Knot News • 139 implied HN points • 17 Mar 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. In 1967 the Suez Canal closure and a tanker-market boom sharply raised oil delivery costs, prompting utilities to shift back to coal and triggering a sustained jump in fossil plant capital costs.
  2. That same year the AEC’s regulatory arm gained power and issued 70 broadly defined General Design Criteria, imposing large, retroactive requirements that raised cost and uncertainty for nuclear builders.
  3. The combined market shocks and heavier regulation drove nuclear capital costs way up between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, preventing expected learning-curve gains and leaving nuclear much more expensive than it might have been.

Intellectual narcissism or political relevance

Global Inequality and More 3.0 • 1464 implied HN points • 01 Feb 26
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. The left's past support or tolerance of oppressive regimes was a serious mistake, but many of those choices were made within limited options and intense international pressure. Governments and movements often picked the lesser evil available at the time rather than an ideal outcome.
  2. Political decisions should be grounded in historical context and a lesser-evil calculus instead of strict moral purity, because insisting on perfect consistency can make ideas politically irrelevant. Real-world tradeoffs matter more than intellectual self-righteousness.
  3. What looks like a sudden return of imperialism is actually part of a long historical pattern; US, Russian, and Chinese behaviors fit into older traditions of empire, and empires were active even during the neoliberal era. Recognizing continuity helps make better strategic choices today.

First Contact with America

Novum Newsletter • 1110 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Sayyid Qutb experienced America as materialistic and morally empty, and that shock pushed him toward radical Islamist ideas and violent opposition to Western modernity.
  2. Wang Huning saw America as technologically powerful but socially fragmented, leading him to champion a Chinese path that emphasizes state-led values, social cohesion, and technological dominance to avoid American-style decay.
  3. Boris Yeltsin’s glimpse of American abundance convinced him to pursue rapid market reforms and privatization in Russia, a move that helped dismantle Soviet structures but ultimately produced oligarchy and deep public disillusionment.
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HOISTED FROM THE ARCHIVES: Unleash Chiang Kai-Shek

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 84 implied HN points • 04 Mar 26
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Cold War
  1. The slogan "unleash Chiang" referred to Chiang Kai‑shek and was a right‑wing Cold War line imagining he could be unleashed to retake mainland China.
  2. George H. W. Bush used "unleash Chang" as a joking, ironic taunt on the tennis court to mock that rhetoric, but his sons later repeated the phrase without understanding its origin.
  3. Jeb Bush’s "mystical warrior Chang" gag shows how political figures can parrot slogans without historical knowledge, revealing troubling political ignorance and historical amnesia.

JFK & George Kennan on the Ideological Fundamentalism of the US

Glenn’s Substack • 779 implied HN points • 12 Aug 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Cold War
  1. Ideological fundamentalism makes enemies out of other countries based on labels instead of their actual actions. This can lead to misunderstanding and conflict.
  2. George Kennan criticized how the U.S. viewed the Soviet Union, saying the portrayal was extreme and didn’t reflect reality. He warned that this type of thinking is dangerous for political actions.
  3. Seeing adversaries as simple 'bad guys' stops us from understanding their complexities. It's important to recognize shared challenges, rather than just focusing on conflict.

Why communist reformers always lost

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 35 implied HN points • 03 Mar 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Keeping prices stable mattered more than reformers realized; reforms that raised prices or lengthened queues often triggered panic and protests, so changes had to deliver fast, tangible benefits to avoid backlash.
  2. The order of reforms and a broad coalition of winners were crucial; piecemeal moves (for example, enterprise reform without realistic prices) were either ineffective or destabilizing.
  3. Reformers frequently misunderstood the secretive, complex systems they were changing, and entrenched interests used that complexity to block change; reforms succeeded mainly where planning was weak and people stood to gain.

A demonstration at Shippingport

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 19 implied HN points • 05 Mar 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Admiral Hyman Rickover was the driving force behind America’s entry into nuclear power, pushing pressurized-water reactors for submarines and leading the Shippingport civilian reactor project.
  2. Shippingport was the first full-scale U.S. civilian nuclear plant built as a government-industry demonstration; it proved the technology but was costly and not yet economical, while creating much of the industrial know‑how for later reactors.
  3. Nuclear power grew out of wartime weapons programs and Cold War politics, and policy choices—like Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace and the 1954 Atomic Energy Act—shifted development toward private industry even as concerns about safety, cost, and proliferation persisted.

The Wetlands Interregnum

Adjacent Possible • 126 implied HN points • 26 Jan 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Corona satellites used mid-air film recovery and dual panoramic cameras to capture stereoscopic, high-resolution photos decades before digital imaging, giving a true 3D view of the land.
  2. Those 3D images showed ancient landscapes were more varied and less permanently arid than earlier archaeologists assumed, which challenges the idea that states arose solely to build irrigation in hopeless deserts.
  3. The 1995 declassification and transfer of Corona film to public archives and the USGS opened a priceless historical dataset for scientists to study environmental change and rethink the origins of agriculture.

2024 could be the pivotal year for Cold War 2

Noahpinion • 10529 implied HN points • 12 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. 2024 could be a pivotal year for Cold War 2, with China's weakening economy and potential U.S. instability altering the global balance of power.
  2. China's economic strength is the core of New Axis power, posing a significant threat to the liberal world order by potentially overwhelming the U.S. in a war.
  3. The economic rise of China is a key factor driving Cold War 2, with its manufacturing might elevating the threat posed by the New Axis.

Towards A Church Of The British Empire: World Government As British Empire Revivalism

Matt Ehret's Insights • 2633 implied HN points • 06 May 23
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. The British Empire agenda towards a world government revivalism is being pursued through figures like King Charles III and Pope Francis, shaping a tribalist global governance system.
  2. Historical figures like Cecil Rhodes aspired to restore British imperial power through unipolar world government controlled by a new priest class.
  3. Nationalist efforts to promote cooperation among sovereign nation states for mutual development were challenged by imperial forces seeking a British-led New World Order.

Americans to Celebrate: The Prophet of the Atomic Age

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 338 implied HN points • 24 Nov 25
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. John von Neumann was an extraordinarily brilliant Hungarian-born mathematician who invented game theory and helped shape America’s nuclear strategy.
  2. He warned that the technologies he helped create could threaten humanity and thought we were entering a rapidly maturing crisis.
  3. In the 1950s he predicted that military advances, early signs of global warming, and growing resource demands would make the coming decades dangerously unstable.

UNLOCKED🔓— The U.S. Government (Probably) Killed MLK

JoeWrote • 83 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Legal findings and eyewitness anomalies suggest a government-linked conspiracy to kill Martin Luther King Jr., including Lloyd Jowers’ admission, the King family’s civil verdict, surveillance at the scene, and unresolved questions about James Earl Ray.
  2. MLK’s more radical critiques of economic inequality, imperialism, and socialism have been deliberately whitewashed by the state and mainstream institutions to create a safer, establishment-friendly image.
  3. A broader pattern of domestic repression—COINTELPRO, the assassination of Fred Hampton, doubts around Malcolm X’s killing, and documented use of informants and criminal cutouts—shows agencies were willing to surveil, discredit, and sometimes eliminate dissidents, making a clandestine plot against King plausible.

The glorious Soviet Union

Trevor Klee’s Newsletter • 671 implied HN points • 10 Aug 25
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Communism looks good in theory but often fails in practice. Many historical attempts at communism ended badly for countries involved.
  2. Some people feel nostalgic for the idea of the Soviet Union, viewing it as a time of unity and purpose, despite its real flaws.
  3. After the fall of the Soviet Union, many Russians struggled with the chaos and loneliness of capitalism, missing the sense of community and shared sacrifice they once had.

A Spy Among Friends

Castalia • 339 implied HN points • 21 Apr 24
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The series _A Spy Among Friends_ explores the relationship between Kim Philby and Nicholas Elliott, highlighting their deep friendship and how it complicated the betrayal Philby committed against British intelligence.
  2. There is a debate about why Philby became a spy for the Soviets. Some think it was ideological, while others believe it was more about seeking elite social status or personal connections.
  3. The idea of intelligence sharing among spies suggests that they may have operated more like a close partnership rather than strict adversaries, raising questions about loyalty and the nature of espionage.

France's Historic Bond with China and De Gaulle's Grand Design

Matt Ehret's Insights • 648 implied HN points • 29 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. Charles de Gaulle fought against pro-NATO fascists and worked to ensure France's independence.
  2. De Gaulle recognized the importance of reaching out to Russia and China for cooperation and world development.
  3. De Gaulle's alliance with Kennedy aimed for advancements in science and technology to liberate Africa, Asia, and South America from colonial structures.

Toshiba’s Big Technology Export Scandal

The Asianometry Newsletter • 4737 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. During the post-World War II era, the Soviet Union acquired Western technologies like modern American equipment, affecting global trade dynamics.
  2. Export controls evolved over time in the United States, influenced by historical events, concerns over national security, and international cooperation.
  3. The Toshiba-Kongsberg Incident in 1980s highlighted the challenges of enforcing trade restrictions, the impact on companies like Toshiba, and the need for effective, fair enforcement measures.

Do I Like Ike?

Castalia • 479 implied HN points • 27 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Cold War
  1. Eisenhower's leadership style was gentle and focused on teamwork. He aimed to create a positive political atmosphere and avoid conflict.
  2. He was criticized for not taking a strong stance on key issues like desegregation. Some people felt he should have shown more moral leadership during his presidency.
  3. Despite being popular in his time, Eisenhower's legacy is often overlooked today. Many aspects of his presidency, like budget balance and civility, are worth reflecting on as they contrast with today's politics.

Chinese balloon was not spying, US gov't admits months after manufactured crisis

Geopolitical Economy Report • 797 implied HN points • 21 Sep 23
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. The US government admitted that the Chinese balloon incident was not related to spying, but likely due to strong winds, debunking the initial accusations.
  2. The media and US government exaggerated the situation, using it to create a Cold War-like propaganda against China, though evidence later proved otherwise.
  3. Despite the claims of surveillance capabilities, subsequent analysis showed that the balloon's sensors were never activated over US territory, making the entire scandal a manufactured crisis.

Things Worth Remembering: The Woman Who Captured Russia’s Pain

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 2949 implied HN points • 28 Jan 24
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The historiography of World War II has shifted to highlight the significant sacrifice on the Eastern front, bringing a more balanced perspective to the contributions of all parties involved.
  2. The opening and closure of Russian archives in the 1990s, along with the translation of Vasily Grossman's works, helped reveal the full extent of the Russian sacrifice during the war.
  3. Russian artists played a crucial role in recording and reflecting the Soviet experience during the Second World War, preserving a vital part of history.

The U.S. Pivot to Asia: Cold War Lessons from Vietnam for Today

Through A Glass Darkly • 353 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. The U.S. utilized paramilitary activities and psy-ops in Vietnam as part of the Cold War strategy.
  2. The CIA and Pentagon worked closely together in clandestine activities, blurring the lines between military and covert operations.
  3. The heroin trade in Vietnam was manipulated by the CIA for geopolitical purposes, leading to addiction among U.S. soldiers.

Atomic bombing of Japan was not necessary to end WWII. US gov't documents admit it

Geopolitical Economy Report • 697 implied HN points • 09 Aug 23
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. US government documents admit that the atomic bombing of Japan in WWII was not necessary
  2. The decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan was aimed politically at the Soviet Union, rather than solely to end the war with Japan
  3. Many top US military officials, like General Eisenhower, opposed the use of atomic bombs on Japan, suggesting it was unnecessary and could have been avoided

Introduction to The Soviet Jew

Yasha Levine • 589 implied HN points • 28 May 23
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The Soviet Jew memoir is being restarted and will be released in installments for paid subscribers.
  2. The Victims of Communism Foundation focuses on educating about the evils of communism and collaborating with various anti-communist figures and activists.
  3. The author realized the personal connection of his family's immigration from the Soviet Union to the broader theme of America weaponizing nationalist diasporas.

Is neoliberalism really dead? Or does it live on like a zombie?

Geopolitical Economy Report • 318 implied HN points • 19 Dec 23
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. Neoliberalism continues to evolve and adapt, with different variations over the decades.
  2. Debt has played a significant role in the rise of neoliberalism, with exponential growth especially in the neoliberal era.
  3. The current global dynamics reflect a new Cold War, where neoliberalism faces off against alternative economic models represented by countries like China and Russia.

December 23, 2025

Letters from an American • 27 implied HN points • 24 Dec 25
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The Santa-tracking tradition began in 1955 when a child's misdial reached a military commander, and officials used the story to showcase Cold War-era air defense.
  2. NORAD was formed in the late 1950s and has expanded from continental air defense into broader aerospace, intelligence, and environmental monitoring while keeping the Santa-tracking ritual as a public-facing demonstration.
  3. Each Christmas Eve over a thousand military and civilian volunteers handle more than 100,000 calls, turning high-tech defense systems into a friendly, cross-border tradition that delights children and highlights U.S.–Canadian cooperation.

The Berlin Wall Never Fell

Thinking about... • 567 implied HN points • 09 Nov 24
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The Berlin Wall did not actually fall; it remains a symbol rather than an event. People rushed to cross it in 1989, but the wall itself stayed standing.
  2. The story around the wall simplifies a complex history. It ignores the important protests and the teamwork that helped end communist rule in Eastern Europe.
  3. Thinking the wall fell suggests freedom just happens without effort. True change comes from people cooperating and working together towards freedom.

The Nuclear Deterrence

kamilkazani • 294 implied HN points • 24 Oct 23
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. The dynamics of nuclear deterrence involve paradoxical game theory concepts.
  2. Human factor plays a significant role in the effectiveness of nuclear deterrence.
  3. Counterintuitive solutions, like limiting choices, can be effective in nuclear deterrence strategies.

Soviet Ruins and China's Future

ChinaTalk • 474 implied HN points • 21 Oct 24
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. China looks to the lessons of the Soviet Union to understand its own economic strategies and potential risks. By studying the past, they hope to avoid similar pitfalls in governance.
  2. The distribution of resources in an economy is crucial for success. If too much is spent on heavy industry and not enough on consumer goods, it can lead to dissatisfaction and inefficiencies.
  3. Khrushchev's time saw a shift in the Soviet mentality from military competition to economic competition with the West. This idea of competing systems is still relevant today, especially in how China views its place in the world.

Big in Germany

Origins of Our Time • 255 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Keynesianism focuses on managing demand in the economy.
  2. Military Keynesianism emerged as a response to global crisis and the Cold War.
  3. Implementing Keynesian ideas, especially in relation to military spending, involves navigating class issues.

The global defeat of democracy: a scenario

Wyclif's Dust • 1073 implied HN points • 19 Nov 23
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. A new conflict is developing between Western democracies and non-Western autocracies.
  2. Defeat in the global conflict between democracy and autocracies could lead to a potential erosion of liberalism.
  3. Emerging weaknesses in democracy could put the system at serious risk, especially in the face of a changing international landscape.

The Berlin Wall has fallen, but Germany remains divided

Back To Sifar • 59 implied HN points • 14 Apr 24
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. Western and Eastern Germany remain vastly different today due to historical events like the Cold War and post-World War 2 division.
  2. Significant disparities exist between Western and Eastern Germany in areas like religion, GDP per capita, and political tendencies, reflecting the lasting impact of past economic and political decisions.
  3. Investments in developing the Eastern part of Germany are ongoing, aiming to bridge the gap and achieve true unity in the country.

Win the War, Lose the Battle

The Radar • 59 implied HN points • 09 Apr 24
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Firing military commanders without clear explanations can have significant strategic consequences and impact an organization's long-term success.
  2. The responsible exercise of authority is crucial for the best interest of military organizations and the importance of transparency in such decisions.
  3. Unwarranted firings can not only destroy individual careers but also detrimentally affect the entire organization and potentially alter the course of history.

In neocolonial rant, EU says Europe is 'garden' superior to rest of world's barbaric 'jungle'

Geopolitical Economy Report • 239 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
🌍 World Politics Cold War
  1. The speech by EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell highlighted a colonialist mentality still present in Europe, with him portraying Europe as a 'garden' that must civilize the 'jungle' of the rest of the world.
  2. Borrell hinted at the EU's involvement in a new cold war, aiming for regime change in Russia to create a 'post-Putin Russia' that aligns with Western interests.
  3. Borrell expressed disappointment at 'too many' countries abstaining in a UN vote against Russia and made strong remarks about the potential of nuclear war in the conflict, stating the Russian Army would face annihilation.

Nuclear close calls: times we almost blew the world up

Back To Sifar • 39 implied HN points • 31 Mar 24
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The Suez Crisis in 1956 almost led to a nuclear conflict between the Soviet Union and the US-led NATO forces due to misunderstandings and false alarms.
  2. The Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962 brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, with a Soviet submarine captain nearly launching a nuclear torpedo in response to perceived threats.
  3. The Norwegian Rocket Incident in 1995 highlights how even after the Cold War, minor misunderstandings can escalate dangerously, as seen when a Russian alert was triggered by a Norwegian scientific research rocket launch.

Bandung a Sea of Fire: un-aligning the periphery

The Outpost • 98 implied HN points • 06 May 23
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. Bandung, Indonesia has a rich history as a colonial resort city favored by the Dutch.
  2. Bandung's significance continued post-independence, with leaders like Sukarno shaping its political and architectural identity.
  3. The Bandung Conference and Non-Aligned Movement were pivotal in uniting newly independent nations and shaping global geopolitics.

A grand day out

Telescopic Turnip • 28 implied HN points • 21 Jul 25
đź’ľ History Cold War
  1. The moon landing was an incredible achievement in engineering and science, showing that humans can do amazing things when they work hard.
  2. People often debate the worth of the moon landing, especially since it cost so much money. Some think there could have been better ways to use that money for scientific discovery.
  3. Despite being part of a competition with the USSR during the Cold War, the moon landing also represented a sort of cooperation and restraint, helping to avoid greater conflicts.