Brief History Of Sport During The Cold War
Nioka Jackman
December 9 , 2014
History of Sport
Cold and Sport
Joseph Rotblat, a Polish physicist once said, “The Cold War is over , but Cold War thinking survives.“ This thinking that the United States is more democratic, powerful, family-orientated, and athletic than the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics can traced back to the 20th century. The United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) were in political, military, economic, and ideological disagreements. In the 1940’s to the 1960’s, sport was not only used as a propaganda for the Cold War, but also as apart of the cultural Cold War strategy. Sports were used as a training ground for athletes to help preserved the nations’s internal health and representing the “American way of life”. Propaganda during this time was use to demonize the Russians and their ideals of communism. “In America, Cold War propaganda celebrated the prosperity of capitalism, while reinforcing conservative social values.”1 Propaganda was seen almost everywhere, such as television commercials, newspaper comics, children television shows and books, …show more content…
Sports was thought to build character, encourage teamwork, and as President Roosevelt believed, also to prepare young men for leadership positions. Sport, at this time, was also used to help American citizens become successful in a very competitive world. Football was the sport most known to represent the United States against the Russians, because it embodied toughness and manliness. When young men were knocked down on the field, this would prepare them to get back up in the real world as leaders. Just as rock supports a home, sports was the building foundation for Americans to become even better citizens and preserve the nation’s
December 9 , 2014
History of Sport
Cold and Sport
Joseph Rotblat, a Polish physicist once said, “The Cold War is over , but Cold War thinking survives.“ This thinking that the United States is more democratic, powerful, family-orientated, and athletic than the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics can traced back to the 20th century. The United States and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) were in political, military, economic, and ideological disagreements. In the 1940’s to the 1960’s, sport was not only used as a propaganda for the Cold War, but also as apart of the cultural Cold War strategy. Sports were used as a training ground for athletes to help preserved the nations’s internal health and representing the “American way of life”. Propaganda during this time was use to demonize the Russians and their ideals of communism. “In America, Cold War propaganda celebrated the prosperity of capitalism, while reinforcing conservative social values.”1 Propaganda was seen almost everywhere, such as television commercials, newspaper comics, children television shows and books, …show more content…
Sports was thought to build character, encourage teamwork, and as President Roosevelt believed, also to prepare young men for leadership positions. Sport, at this time, was also used to help American citizens become successful in a very competitive world. Football was the sport most known to represent the United States against the Russians, because it embodied toughness and manliness. When young men were knocked down on the field, this would prepare them to get back up in the real world as leaders. Just as rock supports a home, sports was the building foundation for Americans to become even better citizens and preserve the nation’s