Any history book trying to quantify the US semiconductor industry can point to real quantifiable things.
1. The US was only major Economy after WWII that came out unscratched and with lots of capital. Japan, Europe started from ruins with no capital.
2. 1956 Consent Degree and the pressure from looming future antitrust investigations. Transistor technology became available for startups. William Shockley was able to leave Dell to develop semiconductors elsewhere because this decision. It was probably the most significant lawsuit in the history and caused massive explosion of innovations. Almost 8000 patents became available.
3. Cold war, Minuteman II production. In 1962, the U.S. government purchased 100% of all integrated circuits produced in the country.
1. This was a contributing factor for sure.
2. Antitrust investigations were covered in the talk.
3. This definitely spurred US production and development for sure.
But are these stereotypes or just contributing factors?