The Olympics In The 1980s

Sports often are not regarded as something capable of altering a war but the way the United States and Soviet Union used the Olympics did just that. The Olympics in the early 1980s were used as a stage for politics. During the Winter Olympics in 1980 the U.S. faced off against the best hockey team ever, The Soviet Union, in a time when these two countries did not get along. Days before the U.S. won this game President Jimmy Carter announced the U.S. boycott of the Summer Olympic Games that year in Moscow. The Soviets dominated the competition with approximately sixty countries not being represented. This outraged the athletes of America as they felt they had been stripped of a medal. Later on in 1984 the Soviet Union decided not to participate
in the Summer Olympics that year in Los Angeles because they believed the U.S. was unsafe. The real reason they did this was to get back at the U.S. for declining the invitation in 1980. With the Cold war still going on these events could have ended the world at any moment. Although the U.S. USSR both partook in the 1980 Winter Olympics, ultimately the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan sparked the Olympic boycotts in the Summer of 1980 and 1984 leading to tension between the two countries.
With tensions high between The U.S.
and The Soviet Union after World War II a time period known as the Cold War began. A year prior to this the U.S. and Soviet Union fought as allies to defeat Germany. But as the war ended both countries wanted different types of government in Germany and were willing to fight for it. A long stretch of time known as the Cold War began and the Soviets and Americans were in a nuclear standoff which brought these two countries to Total War involving everything from daily life, except for war itself. Many important events came into play such as The Space Race, Cuban Missile Crisis, and the creation of Nato and the Warsaw Pact. An interview between President Nixon and Kruschev showed the two’s argument between Democracy and Communism and what helps the industrial
world.
Kruschev: We have steel workers and peasants who can afford to spend $14,000 for a house. Your American houses are built to last only 20 years so builders could sell new houses at the end. We build firmly. We build for our children and grandchildren.
Nixon:American houses last for more than 20 years, but, even so, after twenty years, many Americans want a new house or a new kitchen. Their kitchen is obsolete by that time....The American system is designed to take advantage of new inventions and new techniques.
They argue back in forth claiming whose houses are better and why but the main point is the two sides pitted against one another. The two countries tried to compete in everything from technology to sports. These two Nationalist powers went to every extent to show Germany why their government was the best. With tensions high the stage for the 1980 Winter Olympics began to gain notice. As the Soviets invaded Afghanistan days before, tension raised between the Soviets and the Americans. The Soviet Hockey team who had played together for years and had won the last four Olympic golds showed they were the main attraction. The Soviets flaunted they were stronger than ever after playing two exhibitions and destroying the NHL Allstars 6-0 and the U.S. Olympic Team made up of college kids 10-3. The U.S. showed they were not the best team in the tournament as they tied the Swedish and lost one of their star defensemen to a leg injury. The U.S. made their way through the first round and found themselves up against the Soviets who score 51 goals in their first 5 games. The game was set to start as there was not a single empty seat at Lake Placid. The players understood the importance of the game and how it affected more than them.
We were not in Lake Placid to be national heroes, to promote capitalism vs. Communism, or to be a bunch of Captain America. We were there to play hockey and do the best we could. I wasn’t surprised that the country went nuts about our victory. It was a very exciting victory against very strong opponents . . . As well, we were underdogs, the Soviets, our Cold War rivals, were the favorites so it made for drama. Looking back, I do believe that our victory was a catalyst for a reawakening of the national spirit that was at a low ebb due to economic, political and social issues. We were the catalyst, but the country was ripe for an awakening. It was all set up and we stepped into the void. We supplied that first big emotional tipping point that got everything else going.
The drop happened and the U.S. seemed to have more jump in their step than usual. The U.S. went on to win the game with the final call of, “You've got 10 seconds, the countdown going on right now, Morrow up to Silk, five seconds left in the game . . . Do you believe in miracles? Yes!" The game truly was a massive triumph for the U.S., some call it the biggest upset in sports history. An editor for the times said “The gold medal won by the American hockey team is probably doing more to bolster the morale of the American vis-à-vis our international problems than any words or action of our President and other leaders.” The Soviets when asked where their silver medals were answered "I don't have mine… I think it is in garbage in Lake Placid jail." The triumph in the U.S. was great but tension continued to rise as fans in the Soviet Union were not as excited. As the Winter games came to an end the spotlight shifted towards President Carter to see what would be done about the Summer Olympics in Moscow. In February President Carter addressed the whole country and spoke on what would be done about that Summer.
I can't say at this moment what other nations will not go to the Summer Olympics in Moscow. Ours will not go. I say that not with any equivocation; the decision has been made. The American people are convinced that we should not go to the Summer OlympicS. The Congress has voted overwhelmingly, almost unanimously, which is a very rare thing, that we will not go. And I can tell you that many of our major allies, particularly those democratic countries who believe in freedom, will not go.
This speech shocked the media and the athletes of the team were outraged, “In the context of increased Cold War tensions that resulted in, among other things, President Carter’s decision to boycott the Moscow Summer Games, this game was viewed by millions of Americans as a superpower confrontation that pitted good against evil, freedom against totalitarianism, and right against wrong.” A U.S. runner said, “There's not a year that goes by, and there's not an Olympics that goes by, or an Olympics trials that goes by, that I do not think of that boycott in 1980." Another athlete was quoted saying “It’s like we never existed, and we did… We were honest citizens of the United States. But we’re the team that’s never mentioned. The team with no results.” The U.S. not competing not only bothered the athletes of the U.S. but gave the Soviets an easier chance to win the medal count by 69 medals. To this day athletes are still bothered by the U.S. choosing not to go, but with the Soviets invading Afghanistan President Carter made the right choice and protected our athletes. As the 1984 Summer Olympics came around in Los Angeles the world watched as the Soviets would decide whether to go or not. On May 9, 1984 the Soviets announced they would not participate in that year’s Summer games because Reagan "Does not intend to ensure the security," of the Soviet athletes. This was the claim by the Soviets as they were convinced President Reagan was involved in extremist groups. Without major countries such as West Germany, The Soviet Union, and China at the 1984 Olympics the U.S. was able to take home first in the medal count by more than three times as many as the second place country. The United states were victorious once again but they had not competed against the Soviets since the Miracle on Ice. Although there were other events going on which contributed heavily to the tension in the Cold War ultimately the Olympics in the 80s served as a catalyst for the arguing. The way all these events affect the Cold War is important because it altered the views and thoughts of the people during this time.
In a time period with a stalemate such as the Cold War nobody knows what to think and any positive info feels like a triumph. The way the game against the Soviets affected them was by inspiring the people of the U.S. restoring their nationalism. The boycott in 1980 was “The most extensive diplomatic effort ever connected with an Olympic celebration and demonstrated unequivocally that nations saw the Olympics as an effective tool to try to influence the foreign policy of nations with opposing political ideologies.” Meaning the U.S. directly used the Olympics to try and change the Soviet Union’s mind on their affairs in Afghanistan. Although President Reagan understood The Soviet Union’s real reason for boycotting 1984 the people of the Soviet Union did not and the athletes were upset. The arguments eventually came to an end as the Soviet Union fell in 1991 when they were finally convinced by the U.S. that Democracy was the answer to their
problems. The tension which arose from the Olympics during the Cold War is more important than often regarded due to the nationalism which comes with it. When countries from everywhere meet with their top athletes to compete on the same stage politics come with it. The way in which these athletes perform reflect the strongest countries allow the people to brag accordingly. During the Cold War the only battles which happened were when representatives of the two countries met. This was the time when they would argue over Democracy and Communism and why theirs was better. The main focus of the tension through the late years of the cold war were the Winter and Summer Olympics. The U.S.’s David vs Goliath upset against the Soviets showed why the U.S. was on top. The players and coaches of the Soviet team made sure they knew the U.S. was angry by leaving behind Vodka bottles everywhere and their silver medals. By this point the U.S. had pulled out of the 1980 Summer Olympics because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The athletes were in disbelief of what had happened, the moment they trained for their whole life had been taken from them. After the Olympics finished the attention shifted to where the 1984 Summer Olympics would be held and who would attend. The Olympics were held in L.A. and the Soviets along with other communist countries did not attend. This is the final example of how sports affected the tension of the Cold War because of the outcome of events and attendance at the Olympics. When athletes put on their teams colors they become emotional and do what it takes to win, mix in the fact they are competing for their country’s pride and nationalism they will get in the way of politics.