What if They Held an Olympics, But Nobody Came Because of Tibet?

In 1931, the International Olympic Committee chose Berlin as the site of 1936 Summer Olympics. After the horrors of war and global political and economic upheavals that have plagued Germany during the 1920s, the award has been hailed as a sign that Germany had returned to the community of civilized nations. Two years later, however, Hitler was elected chancellor of Germany and began to install to a highly effective and pervasive propaganda. Almost immediately, the process of converting a free country into a dictatorship of one party has been undertaken. The dissent has been stifled. Thousands of political opponents of the new Nazi party were rounded up and sent to concentration camps without anything approaching a right to a trial. A new human race has been invented – the “Aryan” race – and has been established that the standard policy regarding the inclusion of all others would be measured, especially Jews and Gypsies. Those “who are not certifiable Aryans” should be marginalized and excluded from all aspects of life in Germany. The process of submission and control had begun. Initially, Hitler did not understand the possibilities of propaganda which presented upcoing Olympics, but Josef Goebbels, his propaganda minister, was convinced enough time they presented a unique opportunity to show the world the racial superiority of “Aryan” and the triumphant return of Germany amounts to the world stage. Nothing should be overlooked, no effort should be spared to show the world a credible image of an efficient, prosperous, happy and welcoming nation. Basically, however, the news continued to escape from Germany regarding the marginalization of Jews, and particiular, the persecution of Jewish athletes. Avery Brundage, then president of the U.S. Olympic Committee, along with many other capabilities in parallel, originally planned to make the 1936 Games in Germany. However, following a closely scripted and managed review of existing sports facilities and planned in Germany, they have concluded publicly that Jewish athletes were not treated unfairly and that the scene of the 1936 Winter and Summer Games Summer would not change. Even so, the controversy has continued, especially in the United States. The governors of New York and Massachusetts, both Roman Catholics, has publicly opposed U.S. participation in the Games, as did “The public good”, an influential Catholic publication. The American Jewish Congress (and non-religious-oriented groups) sponsored mass rallies to protest against the persecution of Jews in Germany, but the AJC does not even proposed a boycott of the Games for fear of reactions reactions in the United States and retaliation against the Jews, and especially against Jewish athletes in Germany. Some African-American publications are against a boycott, too, on the ground that the successes of African Americans in the Olympics would make the lie to Nazi claims of the alleged superiority of the Aryan race. “ Avery Brundage successfully pressed the American Athletic Union to vote against a boycott. The vote broke the ice, and many other countries followed suit. The result was that 18 African-Americans – 16 men and 2 women – participated in the Games. Germany has sent 348 athletes in Berlin, the greatest team of all. The United States was second with 312. Goebbels made sure that the Games have been used as a perfect platform for a no-holds-barred expansion of the Nazi propaganda machine. It was a spectacular show, say people who were there and still remember it – parades, demonstrations, rallies, banners, rituals, uniforms, bright colors, music, enterdtainment stylized, highly disciplined at all points perfection. Berlin had become a Potemkin city; performance were sham. Behind the scenes, out of sight, the repression against the Jews continued. The German press and radio are strictly censored in their reporting of domestic ceremonies. Hitler himself opened the Games with great ritual and the sound of German music great. For the first time, a runner entered the stadium while carrying a torch that was carried by relay runners all the way instead of the original Games in Olympia, Greece. This was the beginning of the modern torch relay Extravaganza, where it takes place where these lines are written. In Hitler’s considerable embarrassment, the African-American runner Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics. We sometimes forget that nine other African-Americans have won medals, too. Hitler refused to shake hands with Owens or any other. The emptiness of the claim alleged “Aryan race” have been exposed. Despite this, Hitler felt justified, since all the intense planning, coercion and propaganda had worked – and to top it all, athletes from Germany she had won the most medals overall. The warm hospitality and the accuracy of the organization have been widely praised. Only the American correspondent William L. Shirer understood the whole situation and reported the reality behind the facade. Hitler was so happy with the result that he told his inspector general architecture in 1937, after the Games, which had been scheduled to be held in Tokyo in 1940, when the Olympics take place in Germany still . Some similarities between Berlin 1936 and Beijing 2008 are ominous. Both represent what we assume to be non-political athletic contest, but instead were misappropriated by dictatorial regimes to expand their own propaganda purposes. A possible difference was not played out yet: Avery Brundage was able, by force of personality or otherwise intimidate or cajole the U.S. Commission in denying a boycott of the Games, what other countries has declined rapidly in line. This time it’s different. The United States has no control over the public demonstrations in free nations in relation to China’s treatment of Tibetans, which so far have occurred in London and Paris, and certainly no control over the peaceful demonstrations today ‘ Today in San Francisco. As the flame is carried through the other free nations, it is reasonable to anticipate that the protests will continue as well. President Sarkozy of France has hinted he may not attend the opening ceremony of the Games. President Bush said earlier that he intends to be present, but who knows? As events unfold, it may change your mind. All this must be a huge uproar embarrassed the Chinese leadership, specifically including the president of China, much of the reputation he has built on the success of the Games. It is his job at risk? What would happen if, as has been rumored, athletes of free nations give up their dream of competing at the Olympics because of the choking smog that hangs over Beijing? Without doubt, the Chinese propaganda machine will continue to operate at full capacity in order to pretend that everything is normal, and continue to vilify the Dalai Lama as the instigator of the riots in Tibet. But the genie is out of the bottle. China can not control all the cameras or a microphone or a laptop or cell phone anywhere, either inside or outside China. This is a huge interesting and important show is far from conclusion. The effects of the attempt by China to control every aspect of the concentration of lead in the Olympics – and conduct the opening ceremonies and the Games themselves – will be felt for a long time to come, not only in the world of amateur sport, but a multitude of ways we can not even imagine. Certainly, political and business relations between major countries will be affected for years. Some damage has already been done. These days, an investment newsletter after another has commented on the possible effects of failure at the Olympics the Chinese stock market, which has already fallen 50% since its peak in October 2007. The photos were taken and which must still be taken, will be safe in the archives in the world to recover and publishable on request. Leadership Group of China has left for the trip of a lifetime. Tyrants are afraid.

Tagged as: Because, Came, Held, Nobody, Olympics, They, Tibet