What Role Did Sport Play During the Cold War?
What role did sport play during the Cold War between 1960 and 1989?
Megums
May 26th, 2013
(Word Count: 1,208 words)
Written Response
In 1894, a plan was made to re-enact the olden Olympic Games of Greece by a Frenchman called Baron Pierre de Coubertin (Margol, 2). These games occurred since 776 B.C., and were devoted to the Olympian gods ("Ancient Olympic Games."). At first glance, sports being played during the Cold War were to be seen as entertainment and “as a combination of religious practice and great fun” (Margol, 2) as it is currently, but to others during 1960 and 1989, it became “a weapon of international affairs” (Hill) especially between massive countries such as the Soviet Union and the United States. Sport sometimes helped ease violent tensions ("American Society & Culture in the Cold War.") especially between major countries such as the Soviets and the United States during the Cold War, but at the same time, it played a role as “particularly prominent venues for rivalry” ("American Society & Culture in the Cold War”), “a propaganda machine” (Margol, 4), and the participation of it was used as an excuse to try to make the Soviet Union remove their troops from Afghanistan (Margol, 9).
Stalin believed that his country would be viewed as the strongest country if his athletes were the strongest as well, as “in the arms race it was thought that the one with the biggest, strongest weapons would be viewed as the best country with the best social system” (Margol, 4). However, the Soviet Union’s athletes were unfit, so they needed lots of training in order to be the strongest, as Stalin wanted the country to be viewed as (Margol, 4). Natasha Kuchinskaya, one of Soviet’s representing gymnasts for the 1968 Olympics then said that “sport was considered the prestige of the government, if sport was strong, government was strong” ("Interview with Natasha Kuchinskaya"). The children who were trained to represent the country by
Megums
May 26th, 2013
(Word Count: 1,208 words)
Written Response
In 1894, a plan was made to re-enact the olden Olympic Games of Greece by a Frenchman called Baron Pierre de Coubertin (Margol, 2). These games occurred since 776 B.C., and were devoted to the Olympian gods ("Ancient Olympic Games."). At first glance, sports being played during the Cold War were to be seen as entertainment and “as a combination of religious practice and great fun” (Margol, 2) as it is currently, but to others during 1960 and 1989, it became “a weapon of international affairs” (Hill) especially between massive countries such as the Soviet Union and the United States. Sport sometimes helped ease violent tensions ("American Society & Culture in the Cold War.") especially between major countries such as the Soviets and the United States during the Cold War, but at the same time, it played a role as “particularly prominent venues for rivalry” ("American Society & Culture in the Cold War”), “a propaganda machine” (Margol, 4), and the participation of it was used as an excuse to try to make the Soviet Union remove their troops from Afghanistan (Margol, 9).
Stalin believed that his country would be viewed as the strongest country if his athletes were the strongest as well, as “in the arms race it was thought that the one with the biggest, strongest weapons would be viewed as the best country with the best social system” (Margol, 4). However, the Soviet Union’s athletes were unfit, so they needed lots of training in order to be the strongest, as Stalin wanted the country to be viewed as (Margol, 4). Natasha Kuchinskaya, one of Soviet’s representing gymnasts for the 1968 Olympics then said that “sport was considered the prestige of the government, if sport was strong, government was strong” ("Interview with Natasha Kuchinskaya"). The children who were trained to represent the country by
Cited: "Ancient Olympic Games." Olympics. N.p., 2012. Web. 25 May 2013. Gollnick, Ines. ""The Cold War on the Cinder Track"" Politics and History. N.p., Mar. 2008 Hill, Christopher R. "The Cold War and the Olympic Movement." HistoryToday. HistoryToday, 1999 Hunt, Thomas M. Sport, Drugs, and the Cold War. N.p.: n.p., 2007. PDF. "Interview with Natasha Kuchinskaya." Interview by Natasha Kuchinskaya. PBS Online Website, 1999 Margol, Brenna. “How the Cold War Affected the Olympic Movement”. N.p.: Drexel University, 2003 "Timeline: Soviet War in Afghanistan." BBC News. BBC, 17 Feb. 2009. Web. 25 May 2013