New Cold Wars audiobook cover - China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West

New Cold Wars

China's Rise, Russia's Invasion, and America's Struggle to Defend the West

David E. Sanger

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New Cold Wars
The Failed Post-Cold War Dream+
Adversaries Grow Bolder+
Global Conflict Entanglements+
The New Cold War Landscape+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 7
According to the text, what was the primary flaw in the West's post-Cold War expectation for China?
  • A. The West believed that as China's wealth grew, it would adopt liberal reforms and align with Western democratic values.
  • B. The West assumed China would immediately dismantle its military to prioritize global trade agreements.
  • C. The West expected China to form a permanent military alliance with Russia against the United States.
  • D. The West thought China would remain economically isolated and pose no threat to global markets.
Question 2 of 7
How did President George W. Bush famously misjudge Vladimir Putin during his administration?
  • A. He believed Putin was secretly planning to dismantle the Russian nuclear arsenal.
  • B. He claimed to have 'looked into his soul' and found him to be a trustworthy partner.
  • C. He assumed Putin would willingly return control of Crimea to Ukraine without conflict.
  • D. He thought Putin was strictly focused on integrating Russia into the European Union.
Question 3 of 7
How did Russia and China utilize the January 6 riot at the US Capitol to their geopolitical advantage?
  • A. They used it as justification to launch immediate military strikes on US allied territories.
  • B. They cited the event to argue that the United States was in decline and to undermine the credibility of Western democracy.
  • C. They leveraged the chaos to negotiate favorable trade deals with the European Union.
  • D. They offered military assistance to the US government to establish themselves as global peacekeepers.
Question 4 of 7
What recent geopolitical shift involving Saudi Arabia poses a challenge to US influence in the Middle East?
  • A. Saudi Arabia's decision to completely halt all oil exports to the United States and Europe.
  • B. Saudi Arabia's strengthening of ties with China, driven by China's demand for oil and its Belt and Road Initiative.
  • C. Saudi Arabia's formal military alliance with Russia to supply weapons for the war in Ukraine.
  • D. Saudi Arabia's withdrawal from the United Nations to form an independent Middle Eastern coalition.
Question 5 of 7
Nancy Pelosi's 2022 visit to Taiwan highlighted the United States' complex strategy in the region, which involves:
  • A. Officially recognizing Taiwan as an independent sovereign state while cutting off trade with Beijing.
  • B. Balancing a commitment to support Taiwan's self-defense without officially recognizing it as a separate state.
  • C. Encouraging Taiwan to formally declare independence to provoke a military response from China.
  • D. Withdrawing all military support from Taiwan to appease Chinese leadership and secure trade deals.
Question 6 of 7
According to the text, what makes China an 'unparalleled competitor' in the new cold wars compared to adversaries from the twentieth century?
  • A. China relies entirely on proxy wars rather than developing its own military capabilities.
  • B. China's strategy is strictly focused on cultural dominance rather than geopolitical expansion.
  • C. China combines vast economic power with advanced technological prowess, posing a multi-dimensional challenge.
  • D. China has completely abandoned nuclear weapons in favor of an exclusively cyber-based military strategy.
Question 7 of 7
What is a key component of President Biden's strategy to maintain a competitive edge against China's growing power?
  • A. Strengthening the domestic foundation by focusing on infrastructure, innovation, and education.
  • B. Implementing a complete embargo on all Chinese technological imports.
  • C. Dismantling international alliances to focus solely on isolationist policies.
  • D. Transitioning the US economy entirely away from manufacturing to focus only on agricultural exports.

New Cold Wars — Full Chapter Overview

New Cold Wars Summary & Overview

New Cold Wars (2024) chronicles the United States’ confrontations with Russia and China as they vie for global supremacy. It details the turbulent struggle for military, economic, political, and technological dominance, exploring the pivotal questions of our era – from Ukraine’s battlefield to Taiwan’s tech hubs to the White House Situation Room.

Who Should Listen to New Cold Wars?

  • Political science enthusiasts
  • History buffs
  • Professionals in national security and defense

About the Author: David E. Sanger

David E. Sanger is the national security correspondent for the New York Times and the best-selling author of The Inheritance and Confront and Conceal. He regularly contributes to CNN and also teaches national security policy at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Sanger has won the Pulitzer Prize three times.

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