The Daily Signal Victor Davis Hanson: America Won the First Cold War. Can We Win the Second?
Feb 12, 2026
A sharp look at how China’s deep economic, academic, and cultural ties shift the stakes of a new Cold War. Short comparisons with the Soviet era highlight differences in infiltration versus isolation. Discussion covers Chinese students, investment influence, DEI and COVID narratives, and examples of strategic penetration into U.S. institutions.
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Isolation Made The Russian Cold War Manageable
- The Cold War with Russia was easier to contain because the USSR was isolated and had few cultural or educational ties to the U.S..
- Victor Davis Hanson argues those guardrails reduced espionage and limited Soviet infiltration into American institutions.
Armand Hammer As A Cold War Outlier
- Hanson recalls Armand Hammer as a rare American businessman with deep ties to the USSR who served as a back channel.
- He uses Hammer to show how unusual and controversial such direct engagement with Russia was during that era.
Historical Empathy Enabled Deeper Ties
- China differs because the U.S. had historical empathy and deep ties, including large numbers of students and economic engagement.
- Hanson warns those connections create porous channels that make China harder to treat as an external enemy.