The Olympic Games During The Cold War

The Olympic games originated in Athens in 776 B.C. The more popular modern day Olympic games began nearly 2300 years later in 1896. The games no longer represented a religious festival, but a sports competition instead. The games can be studied via multiple aspects such as political, social, and economic, but this paper will concentrate on the economic aspect of the games and more specifically, the macroeconomic impacts the games possess.

The Olympics have shown over the decades that they can be affected by political conflict. However, it seems that this is the point of the Olympics, to illustrate national pride, by competition. Bloodshed should not be the way for pride of one’s country to be shown, but it should be shown through competition, in the words of the founder of the modern Olympic movement, Pierre de

Ever since its inception in 1896, the Modern Olympics has hosted an invisible sport: politics. The Olympics calls for “a halt to all conflicts … [and to] strive towards a more peaceful world,” but politics soon spoiled its biennial message. “As the Olympics continue to dissolve into … a political competition … they no longer … justify the time and trouble,” Dave Anderson, Pulitzer Prize winner for his sports column, wrote in the New York Times in 1984. The Olympic spirit has routinely been used as an outlet for political agendas. With political and Olympic ambitions intersected, the great international sports festivity negatively affects all nations involved.

A tale can be told in several different ways. Many people are aware of the astonishing feat of the 1980 USA Olympic Men’s Hockey team, who were huge underdogs in their bid to win the gold medal against the powerhouse USSR. The movie “Miracle”, directed by Gavin O’Connor, is the dramatic journey taken by this team, from the anxiety-filled tryouts in Colorado Springs, Colorado, to the exhilarating game against the USSR in Lake Placid, New York. The book, “The Boys of Winter” written by Wayne Coffey, is based on the same events, but takes a less emotional, more factual approach to the subject. The purpose of this essay is to compare these two resources, and to discuss how they differ in tone, style, and theme.

History has framed the Miracle On Ice as one of those rare sporting achievements that transcend sport. The two hockey games that comprise the “miracle” – the 4-3 win over the mighty Soviets and the 4-2 gold medal clincher against Finland – are credited with lifting Americans from a decade of gloom and despair, reviving patriotism and foreshadowing a national renewal.

The “Miracle on Ice,” where the United States defeated the Soviet Union in the 1980 Winter Olympics at Lake Placid, New York will forever be known as one of the greatest moments in American sports history. This game was about more than just sports though, it signified American strength, even when faced the greatest adversities. The United States was suffering through Vietnam, Watergate, and the wrenching upheavals of the 1960s. Many believe this game was even the beginning of the end for the Cold War. The Soviet Union had won the gold medal in six of the seven previous Winter Olympic Games, and were the favorites to win once more in Lake Placid. The team consisted primarily of professional players with significant experience

The most memorable moment in hockey history came thirty-four years ago with the 1980 Miracle on Ice. The Americans defeating the dominant Soviet team at the Olympics was not only an important triumph for USA Hockey, but for the entire nation. Contrary to popular belief, the underdog win was not only the result of a miracle; it was also the result of a hard-working team led by Coach Herb Brooks. With increasingly negative views on the position of the United States in the Cold War, the Miracle on Ice and the gold medal win lifted the spirits of the nation and brought hockey into the American spotlight.

When Team USA beat the Soviet in 1980 it was important for the US hockey world because that team was seeded seventh entering the game against the Soviet Union. During the 1980 Olympic run the average age was 22 and all the players that year were both amateur and college players and the Soviet’s team was mainly professional and experienced players. This win gave coach Herb Brooks a place in history because he did something no other USA coach has done for the last twenty years and that is beat Russia, and he was named sportsman of the year in 1990.

After World War II, the United States and the Soviets, considerably the two greatest superpowers of that time went from allies to enemies as we entered the era of the Cold war. During this period of time, there were critical turning points that proved vital in the revitalization of the American vitality. One of these pivotal moments derived from the outcome of the 1980 Winter Olympic games. The USA hockey teams defeat over the Soviets boosted the spirits of the American soldiers, as well as the American people. On the contrary, the Soviet Union saw their power dwindle after their major defeat in the Winter Olympic games. This critical shift made way for the downfall of the Soviets reign as a major superpower. To further recognize the Winter Olympic games as an imperative turning point in the Cold War, one must educate oneself on previous history.

After the win people became involved in the game. "The new heights of popularity achieved by the national hockey league in the 1980 stems in part from the interest in the sport generated when the United States hockey team shocked the world by upsetting the mighty Soviets and later winning the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics" (Hockey in the 1980’s). Before 1980 there wasn’t a ton of people involved in the game like there are now. Pulling off an upset like this showed us how great of a sport hockey is. "The Olympians of 1980 also created an entire generation of young American athletes who chose to pursue hockey over other sports or set the Olympics as a priority" (Writer).

When Team USA beat the Soviet in 1980 it was important for the US hockey world because that team was seeded seventh entering the game against the Soviet Union. During the 1980 Olympic run the average was 22 and all the players were that year were both amateur and college players and the Soviet’s team was mainly professional and experienced players. This win gave coach Herb Brooks a place in history because he did something no other USA coach has done for the last twenty years and that is beat Russia, and he was named sportsman of the year in 1990.

The 1980 Olympic hockey game between the Soviet Union and the United States known as the miracle on ice is the most incredible moments in recent American history due to the significance. The United States was truly an underdog kind of like David and goliath, because no one expected the United States to win against the soviets. The time in history is also important as the game took place during the height of the cold war and these two nations that could break into nuclear war at anytime had to face each other in a hockey game. This rivalry between the two countries transferred on to the game and the result was amazing, at least for the United States.

The Cold War was a time of great stress and friction, especially between the United States and the Soviet Union. As the two superpowers of the War, it was only natural that they would seek support from other nations in a variety of ways. In this paper, I will be specifically looking at the Soviet Union and how they used sports politically. The entirety of my paper is on how they used I will do this by analysing the examples of sport diplomacy, hockey, and basketball. The Soviet Union used these things as a way to gain political support and take popularity away from the United States.

Synopsis: When the USSR hockey team took on the United States in the 1980 Olympics, more than just a gold medal was on the line. Probably one of the most political games in history, this particular game symbolized one of many “battles” of the Cold War. In the, movie Miracle, this story of the underdog is told over, with a strong focus on American coach Herb Brooks and his relationship with his team. The movie highlights the extremely hard work done by the team and the demanding Coach Brooks unrelenting passion to win no matter what. The crux of the movie lies within the game with the Soviet union and those stomach wrenching moments before the game even started, as players knew that at this point it was make it or break it.

The Cold War was a diplomatic war between the two superpowers, USSR and USA. Despite being the two most powerful countries in the world, no actual fighting took place. Instead, the war was fought through various methods of propaganda and threats.