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

by Erin Elizabeth Redihan

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781476667881
Publisher:	McFarland & Company, Incorporated Publishers
Publication date:	03/08/2017
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	272
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

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.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments
Introduction
Chapter 1. Sport in American Society
Chapter 2. Sport in Soviet Society
Chapter 3. 1948: The Austerity Games
Chapter 4. 1952: The Soviet Debut
Chapter 5. 1956: Blood in the Water
Chapter 6. 1960: The Games in Transition
Chapter 7. 1964: Politics Take Center Stage
Chapter 8. 1968: Politics as Main Event
Chapter 9. Post–1968 Experience and Conclusion
Chapter Notes
Bibliography
Index