Thesis

Following WW1, the newly installed Nazi Regime inherited the 1936 Berlin Olympics potentially allowing for more favorable relations with other countries, The Amateur Athletic Union was in an intense debate with other parties to boycott the Berlin Olympics, arguing that attendance would support the Nazi’s totalitarian regime and anti-Semitic actions. After a very close vote of 58 to 56, the United States would be attending the Olympics. Several other countries fell in line shortly after. The Nazis had successfully gotten athletes from nearly 50 countries to attend their games by the skin of their teeth. This will later become a dangerous lesson about allowing sports to be politicized.