1972 summit series cold war

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. Ussr, stats, lies and videotape, the untold story of hockeys series of the century. 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. Taking place in the context of the cold war, the series was unusually intense. 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. Bendell has achieved an unsurpassed level of detail in this investigative look at the 1972 summit series. 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. 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 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. When the cold war became hot the summit series between. By erik floren, edmonton sun as a baby boomer growing up in canada, i can remember only vaguely today the televised coverage of the.

Canadas 1972 hockey triumph played role in ending cold. 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. It has been said, when canada had won the series, it was canadas victory for democracy. According to canadian experts it was a series that wasnt going to be much of a series. How did the 1972 summit series impact canadas national identity. The amazing canadasoviet hockey series of 1972, douglas and mcintyre ltd, vancouvertoronto, 1996 steve dryden ed. 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.

At its beginning, few saw the summit series as anything more than a working vacation for canadas hockey pros. Kevin peters on the cold war politics of the 72 summit series. Canadas 1972 hockey triumph played role in ending cold war. 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. What happened during the 1972 summit series canada vs ussr. In 1972, leonid brezhnev ruled the ussr with an iron but intelligent hand. 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. In hockeys 72 summit series between canada and soviet union. Im writing a history essay, and one of the topics is the 1972 summit series, and its significance to canada. When the american pingpong team played in china in 1971, it was seen as a. Other than the hockey game, i would like to find out the real reason behind the conflict between both nations. In 1972, an eightgame hockey series took place between canada and the soviet union.

Our battles with the soviets began as a proxy for war, and became a paradigm for. 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. However, canada was still dealing with the aftermath of the october. Disarmament agreements in the cold war history crunch. Paul hendersons winning goal in the 1972 summit series. The reaction to canadas win in the summit series illustrates just how much the world has changed in the past 40 years. There is no better example than the role of table tennis in restoring uschinese relations. When the cold war became hot the summit series between the. In 1972, hockeys cold war boiled over the new york times. Team canadas hockey heroes reflect on the epic 1972 summit series that changed the gameand the countryforever. Ussr, stats, lies and videotape, the untold story of hockeys series of the century bendell, richard j, patskou, paul, macaskill, robert on. 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. This essay will firstly address the reasons on why the summit series was needed to cool tensions. Jan 26, 2015 red army explores how hockey was political in cold war russia.

Canadas goalscoring hero from the 1972 summit series. Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the. 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. Precisely, it was the willful intent to injure the ussrs greatest forward, valeri kharlamov enshrined, by the way, in the hockey hall of fame. 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. But from the start, the 1972 summit series was all about politics. 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.

Doc extended essay how did the 1972 summit series affect. There were political ramifications involved as well. In 1954, the soviets rose from obscurity the win the ice hockey gold medal at the world championships. The series was played during the cold war, and intense feelings of nationalism were aroused in fans in both canada and. 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. 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. It showed that the communist system would not conquer all. 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. For canadians, the series against the soviet union, which was the first time. 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. 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.

Sep 20, 2012 home news kevin peters on the cold war politics of the 72 summit series. 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. This essay examines the question, how did the 1972 summit series affect international relations between canada and the soviet union in the 1970s. Canadas goalscoring hero from the 1972 summit series, said in an interview. 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. Cold warera hockey was the game at its best rolling stone. 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. Episode 18 1972 summit series by cold war international. Nbc sports network to air documentary on 1972 canadaussr. The associated press and grolier, pursuit of excellence. 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.

Publisher description in september, 1972, canada went to war. The first weekend of september 1972 was marked by the start of the greatest hockey series ever staged. The book definitely serves as a definitive history of the 1972 summit series. In 1972, a special series was arranged to allow the best canadian and soviet players to face one another for the first time. 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.

A year later, canada made its own attempt to bridge the gap with the ussr, using a game so dear to both nations hearts. David mcdonald university of wisconsin madison and james g. In actuality, this cherished central canadian fable is based on cheating. What happened during the 1972 summit series canada vs. If you are to read only one book on the 1972 summit series, make roy macskimmings cold war. The series played out before a rapt audience on both sides of the iron curtain. 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. 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.

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. 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 coexistence. The amazing canadasoviet hockey series of 1972 vancouver. It took place during the time of the cold war when the east and west were fighting to prove who was better. 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. The 2007 one was not actually called the summit series as mentioned above it was called the super series. The following list is a collection of links and references to other web sites related to the 1972 summit and the game of hockey. In a very short time the soviets had emerged as a sporting superpower. Though there were 3,000 canadian fans in moscow and national tv coverage. The canadasoviet 1972 summit series was more than just eight games of historic hockey. 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.

At the time, soviets were dominant team in international hockey. Sport in the cold war was often confrontational but occasionally constructive. Oppose the common and better known one is the summit series. 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. Jun 06, 2009 why was the 1972 summit series significant to canada. I know how it helped prove dominance over the soviet union and all that, but i need some strong points. Everyone, including the soviets, agreed on a few likely.

This was the form of hegemony on all fronts that was battled by the west during the cold war. The outcome was the biggest defeat the ussr ever suffered in the sporting arena and the greatest victory in canadian sports. Aug 31, 2012 hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice. By the end of the series it was not just about saving our hockey skins. Yes, officially canada won the seminal 1972 summit series. Why was the 1972 summit series significant to canada. What made the games so compelling was the fact they. And as we prepare to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

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 1972 summit series is a hockey series between canada and the soviet union. In the games last seconds, their hero paul henderson scored an. 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. Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the globe and. 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.

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. 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. 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. Red army explores how hockey was political in 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. The 1972 summit series between national hockey teams from. Red army explores how hockey was political in cold war russia. Cbc radio, interview with harry sinden, montreal, 2 september 1972.

Hershberg george washington university tell the story of the 1972 summit series, one of the greatest sporting events in canadian history. For many canadians, the eightgame series between team canada and the national team of the soviet union in 1972 provided the greatest. This was published in 1972 before the summit series had started. Jan 12, 2008 what happened during the 1972 summit series canada vs ussr. But because of some of the things that happened after we got to moscow, it took on more of a battle of systems. Stream episode 18 1972 summit series by cold war international history project from desktop or your mobile device. Many believe this special series changed hockey forever. 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. Home news kevin peters on the cold war politics of the 72 summit series. At the height of the cold war, two hockey styles clashed. In 1971, members of the american table tennis team toured japan and became friendly with members of the chinese team. 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. Hockey put canadas cold war perceptions on ice the globe.