1948 London Olympic Games Official Report

1948 London Olympic Games Official Report

This magazine was produced by World Sports on behalf of the British Olympic Association to commemorate the 1948 London Olympics. It is an object associated with the difficult period after World War Two that saw the start of Cold War hostilities. As America and the Soviet Union positioned themselves in ideologically opposed positions the race to conquer space began. The World's Superpowers sought to take advantage of German rocket technology, as they began dreaming of space travel. The London Olympics were carried out in the face of these changing twentieth century political dynamics. The USSR was invited to participate, but chose not to send any athletes.

The magazine contains 112 pages of images and text reporting the events of the Games of the XIV Olympiad - the 1948 London Summer Olympics. It was originally sold for 5 shillings, and tells the story of the 'Austerity Games'. With post-war rationing still in place, the Games cost £750,000 to stage. In the face of continued global tensions, the London Olympics were a big success - but the notable absence of German, Japanese and Soviet athletes, reveals the complex dynamics of global politics that faced the UK in 1948.