The Olympics and the Cold War, 1948-1968 - Sport as Battleground in the U.S.-Soviet Rivalry

For Olympic athletes, fans and the media alike, the games bring out the best sport has to offer--unity, patriotism, friendly competition and the potential for stunning upsets. Yet wherever international competition occurs, politics are never far removed.
Early in the Cold War, when all U.S.-Soviet interactions were treated as potential matters of life and death, each side tried to manipulate the International Olympic Committee. Despite the IOC's efforts to keep the games apolitical, they were quickly drawn into the superpowers' global struggle for supremacy, with medal counts the ultimate prize. Based on IOC, U.S. government and contemporary media sources, this book looks at six consecutive Olympiads to show how high the stakes became once the Soviets began competing in 1952, threatening America's athletic supremacy.

List of contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1.縎port in American Society

Chapter 2.縎port in Soviet Society

Chapter 3.�48: The Austerity Games

Chapter 4.�52: The Soviet Debut

Chapter 5.�56: Blood in the Water

Chapter 6.�60: The Games in Transition

Chapter 7.�64: Politics Take Center Stage

Chapter 8.�68: Politics as Main Event

Chapter 9.縋ost-1968 Experience and Conclusion

Chapter Notes

Bibliography

Index

About the author

Erin Elizabeth Redihan is a visiting history lecturer in the College of General Studies at Boston University and an associate editor of The New England Journal of History. She lives in Rhode Island.

Summary

Based on IOC, US government, and contemporary media sources, this book looks at six consecutive Olympiads to show just how high the stakes became once the Soviets began competing - and threatening America's traditional athletic supremacy - in 1952.

Product details

• Authors: Erin Redihan, Erin Elizabeth Redihan
• Publisher: Ingram Publishers Services
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: from age 18
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 31.12.2017
• EAN: 9781476667881
• ISBN: 978-1-4766-6788-1
• No. of pages: 272
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 14 mm
• Weight: 376 g
• Illustrations: Raster,schwarz-weiss
• Subjects: Guides > Sport > General, dictionaries, handbooks, yearbooks, history; Humanities, art, music > History > Cultural history; USA, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Geopolitics, SPORTS & RECREATION / Olympics & Paralympics, Later 20th century c 1950 to c 1999, United States of America, USA, Former Soviet Union, USSR (Europe), USSR, Soviet Union, The Cold War, c 1945 to c 2000 (Post-war period), Cold wars and proxy conflicts, Olympic & Paralympic games, Olympic and Paralympic games, HISTORY / Wars & Conflicts / General, HISTORY / Russia / Soviet Era