1972 summit series cold war

Canadas 1972 hockey triumph played role in ending cold war. Jan 26, 2015 red army explores how hockey was political in cold war russia. Mostly we remember the eight bitter battles between team canada and the former. It showed that canada is the greatest hockey nation, the summit series brought all the people of canada together and it took place at a time during the cold war. Many believe this special series changed hockey forever. Hershberg george washington university tell the story of the 1972 summit series, one of the greatest sporting events in canadian history. However, canada was still dealing with the aftermath of the october.

Canadas 1972 hockey triumph played role in ending cold. The series played out before a rapt audience on both sides of the iron curtain. It showed that the communist system would not conquer all. Sep 20, 2012 home news kevin peters on the cold war politics of the 72 summit series. The summit series was an eight game series of ice hockey games held in september 1972 between the canadians and the soviets, which altered in 4. Mostly we remember the eight bitter battles between team canada and the former soviet union, fought with more grit, guts and glory than any stanley cup final. Yes, officially canada won the seminal 1972 summit series.

Jan 12, 2008 what happened during the 1972 summit series canada vs ussr. Cold warera hockey was the game at its best rolling stone. But from the start, the 1972 summit series was all about politics. Canadas goalscoring hero from the 1972 summit series, said in an interview. The first weekend of september 1972 was marked by the start of the greatest hockey series ever staged. The 2007 one was not actually called the summit series as mentioned above it was called the super series. It took place during the time of the cold war when the east and west were fighting to prove who was better. In hockeys 72 summit series between canada and soviet union. By erik floren, edmonton sun as a baby boomer growing up in canada, i can remember only vaguely today the televised coverage of the. Cold war on ice, produced by 51time emmy awardwinner ross greenburg, chronicles the historic 27day summit series in september of 1972 between a team of nhl allstars from canada and the soviet. Bobby clarke, alexander ragulin, yevgeny poladjev, vladislav tretiak and an unknown official during game 2 of the summit series on 4 september 1972 at maple leaf gardens in toronto, ontario, canada. For canadians, the series against the soviet union, which was the first time. It was published as a newspaper article and was intended to be read by the people of the world to show that russia had a great team. Im writing a history essay, and one of the topics is the 1972 summit series, and its significance to canada.

Sport in the cold war was often confrontational but occasionally constructive. At its beginning, few saw the summit series as anything more than a working vacation for canadas hockey pros. The drama kicked off in 1972, with the summit series eight games that pitted a canadian allstar team with a handful of future hall of famers, in. The series was played during the cold war, and intense feelings of nationalism were aroused in fans in both canada and. The author also stretches a bit and attempts to reveal the impact on the players, on north american hockey and on canadian culture in general. The summit series, widely considered to be the eight best played and the eight bloodiest and dirtiest ice hockey games of all time, was not called that at the beginning, but its a name that has since gained widespread acceptance. But because of some of the things that happened after we got to moscow, it took on more of a battle of systems. When the cold war became hot the summit series between the. At the time, soviets were dominant team in international hockey. Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the globe and. The summit series was an eight game series of ice hockey games held in september 1972 between the canadians and the soviets, which altered in 4 games in canada and 4 games in the soviet union. Nbc sports network to air documentary on 1972 canadaussr. And indeed, the summit series was a more dramatic cold war clash than even the mens olympic basketball final between the united states and the soviets that took place that month in munich, or the fischerspassky chess championship of a month before. In 1972, hockeys cold war boiled over the new york times.

The 1972 summit series between national hockey teams from canada and the ussr was the first time that canadian professional hockey players faced the soviet unions national team. It started as a friendly cultural exchange intended to signal a thawing of eastwest relations and firmly establish canada as the worlds true hockey superpower. Other than the hockey game, i would like to find out the real reason behind the conflict between both nations. When the cold war became hot the summit series between. My memories of team canadas tumultuous hockey series against the soviet union in 1972 are as erratic as the original tv satellite feed back from moscow impermanent impressions flickering over the capricious medium of a fiveyearold boys. Everyone, including the soviets, agreed on a few likely.

Red army explores how hockey was political in cold war. In 1972, leonid brezhnev ruled the ussr with an iron but intelligent hand. Superseriya sssr canada, known at the time simply as the canadaussr series, was an eightgame series of ice hockey between the soviet union and canada, held in september 1972. Our battles with the soviets began as a proxy for war, and became a paradigm for. There were political ramifications involved as well. The games introduced several talented soviet players to north america, such as hockey hall of fame inductees alexander yakushev, valeri kharlamov and goaltender vladislav tretiak. The series was played during the cold war, and intense feelings of nationalism were aroused in fans in both canada and the soviet union and players on the ice.

There is no better example than the role of table tennis in restoring uschinese relations. The 1972 summit series, also known as the super series or simply the canadaussr series, was an eightgame hockey tournament between the soviet union and canada, held in the september of 1972. David mcdonald university of wisconsin madison and james g. Disarmament agreements in the cold war history crunch. The associated press and grolier, pursuit of excellence. Stream episode 18 1972 summit series by cold war international history project from desktop or your mobile device. Beginning in montreal on the 2nd exactly 44 years after game one the 72 summit series tour also appeared in front of fans in toronto, winnipeg and vancouver. This is a timeline of the main events of the cold war, a state of political and military tension after world war ii between powers in the western bloc the united states, its nato allies and others and powers in the eastern bloc the soviet union, its allies in the warsaw pact and later the peoples republic of china. Whether you are a hockey fan, a sports fan in general, or just love a great story, the 1972 summit series canada vs ussr is a great read. Sep 02, 2012 in 1972, hockeys cold war boiled over.

The outcome was the biggest defeat the ussr ever suffered in the sporting arena and the greatest victory in canadian sports. Bendell has achieved an unsurpassed level of detail in this investigative look at the 1972 summit series. Though there were 3,000 canadian fans in moscow and national tv coverage. Sep 09, 2012 it was hard for him to explain to young people who dont remember the cold war what it was like back in 1972, harper said. Kevin peters on the cold war politics of the 72 summit series. It was hard for him to explain to young people who dont remember the cold war what it was like back in 1972, harper said. Paul hendersons winning goal in the 1972 summit series.

The 1972 summit series proved that we are the greatest hockey nation creating great nationalism in canada despite that it was part of the cold war. Many might view the 1972 summit series with a singular meaning, but there is so much more to be taken away from the events that unfolded in the fall of 1972. Canadian over confidence, the shock of the 73 russian win in game 1, phil espositos speech after canada lost game 4 in vancouver to fall behind 211 in the series and were solidly booed, paul hendersons heroics the winning goal in each of the last 3 games, the alan eagleson incident in game 8, the. The reaction to canadas win in the summit series illustrates just how much the world has changed in the past 40 years. Team canadas hockey heroes reflect on the epic 1972 summit series that changed the gameand the countryforever. Dec 28, 2011 cold war on ice, produced by 51time emmy awardwinner ross greenburg, chronicles the historic 27day summit series in september of 1972 between a team of nhl allstars from canada and the soviet. What happened during the 1972 summit series canada vs ussr. Sep 20, 2016 the drama kicked off in 1972, with the summit series eight games that pitted a canadian allstar team with a handful of future hall of famers, in effect, against a soviet squad that people. Publisher description in september, 1972, canada went to war. Episode 18 1972 summit series by cold war international. I know how it helped prove dominance over the soviet union and all that, but i need some strong points. This was published in 1972 before the summit series had started. Ice hockey was one of the most intense international sports during the cold war, yet two of the biggest powerhouses, canada and the soviet union.

According to canadian experts it was a series that wasnt going to be much of a series. In a very short time the soviets had emerged as a sporting superpower. Ussr, stats, lies and videotape, the untold story of hockeys series of the century bendell, richard j, patskou, paul, macaskill, robert on. Why was the 1972 summit series significant to canada. In september 2016, members of team canada 1972 took part in a fourcity tour of canada, retracing their steps from the first half of the summit series. The canadasoviet 1972 summit series was more than just eight games of historic hockey. Precisely, it was the willful intent to injure the ussrs greatest forward, valeri kharlamov enshrined, by the way, in the hockey hall of fame.

Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the. The 1972 summit series between the best from russia and the best from canada turned out to be one of the most significant events, not only in hockey history, but also in canadian history. By the end of the series it was not just about saving our hockey skins. The 1972 summit series between national hockey teams from. The amazing canadasoviet hockey series of 1972 vancouver. What made the games so compelling was the fact they. The summit series, or super series known at the time simply as the canada ussr series, was an eightgame series of ice hockey between the soviet union and canada, held in september 1972. Dec 30, 2011 cold war on ice, produced by 51time emmy awardwinner ross greenburg, chronicles the historic 27day summit series in september of 1972 between a team of nhl allstars from canada and the soviet national team during the height of the cold war. When the american pingpong team played in china in 1971, it was seen as a step toward negotiation and cooperation between the usa and china in the cold war. It was the greatest hockey series ever playedand it changed the game forever cold war evokes as never before those legendary 27 days in september 1972. In 1972, a special series was arranged to allow the best canadian and soviet players to face one another for the first time. How did the 1972 summit series impact canadas national identity.

Taking place in the context of the cold war, the series was unusually intense. Home news kevin peters on the cold war politics of the 72 summit series. This was the form of hegemony on all fronts that was battled by the west during the cold war. Despite the soviet union having won nine consecutive world championships between 19, those had come against amateur competition the soviets would have no chance against canadas best nhlers in the 1972 summit series.

Intended to improve relations between the two rivals, this cold war on ice often erupted into hot blooded emotion, to a level never before and never again experienced in international competition. It was a significant period of time in the 20th century and involved a clash of ideologies between the two superpowers of the united states and soviet union. When the american pingpong team played in china in 1971, it was seen as a. Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the globe. What happened during the 1972 summit series canada vs. The main idea of this source is to tell about the russian national hockey team in 1972. If you are to read only one book on the 1972 summit series, make roy macskimmings cold war. Cold war on ice, produced by 51time emmy awardwinner ross greenburg, chronicles the historic 27day summit series in september of 1972 between a team of nhl allstars from canada and the soviet national team during the height of the cold war. The amazing canadasoviet hockey series of 1972, douglas and mcintyre ltd, vancouvertoronto, 1996 steve dryden ed. The following list is a collection of links and references to other web sites related to the 1972 summit and the game of hockey. Canadas goalscoring hero from the 1972 summit series. This essay will firstly address the reasons on why the summit series was needed to cool tensions.

The 1972 summit series is a hockey series between canada and the soviet union. Summit series 72, a 90minute documentary with limited commercial interruption, will be a featured component in the launch of the nbc sports network as it debuts at 4. A year later, canada made its own attempt to bridge the gap with the ussr, using a game so dear to both nations hearts. To accompany the launch of its new 24hour sports network, which coincided with the conclusion of the nhls winter classic, nbc sports network also decided to debut a documentary about the summit series from 1972. In 1972, an eightgame hockey series took place between canada and the soviet union.

For many canadians, the eightgame series between team canada and the national team of the soviet union in 1972 provided the greatest. Oppose the common and better known one is the summit series. Doc extended essay how did the 1972 summit series affect. Cbc radio, interview with harry sinden, montreal, 2 september 1972. In this article, matthew struth tells us the story of the summit series, a number of ice hockey games that took place at the height cold war. At the height of the cold war, two hockey styles clashed. Jun 06, 2009 why was the 1972 summit series significant to canada. In 1954, the soviets rose from obscurity the win the ice hockey gold medal at the world championships. In the games last seconds, their hero paul henderson scored an. And as we prepare to celebrate its 40th anniversary. It has been said, when canada had won the series, it was canadas victory for democracy. In actuality, this cherished central canadian fable is based on cheating.