With the Exception of 1916, 1940, and 1944, the Olympic Games Have Been Held Every Four

Chapter 6

Activity 1:

With the exception of 1916, 1940, and 1944, the Olympic Games have been held every four years in the twentieth century in various cities around the world. Beginning as small affairs, they have grown to become huge spectacles. You can read the goals behind the festivities at The Olympic Charter. (Download the charter and review pages 10-16.)

In 1936, the Olympic games were held at Berlin, Germany. They will forever be known as the "Nazi" Olympics. The United States Holocaust Museum has created a detailed and informative site about these games at The Nazi Olympics, Berlin 1936. To examine this site, click on “Begin the on-line exhibition” and continue through the exhibit until finished. Keep the following questions in mind:

Did the Nazi government uphold the values expressed in the Olympic charter? How did the Berlin Olympics serve as propaganda for Hitler and for fascism? (Be sure to review in your textbooks the various aspects of this ideology.) Why, in 1936, were people around the world so willing to buy into this propaganda? Did the Olympics serve to legitimize or de-legitimize Hitler in world opinion? Can you think of any other examples where leaders have used the Olympics to glorify their image abroad? How can the International Olympic Committee avoid these abuses by host countries?

Activity 2:

Fascism disappeared from the world stage after the defeat of the Germans and Italians in World War II. Will it resurface? Or was it an early twentieth-century phenomenon? Using your textbook as a guide, make a list of the conditions that led to the emergence of fascist governments in Europe. What conditions do you think are most important for fascist ideology to spread? Read the essay With Times Tough, Fascism Coming Back by Martin Lee. Do you agree with his assessment? Why or why not?