Jimmy Carter's Decision To Boycott The 1980 Olympics

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In the summer of 1980 the Soviet Union was hosting the Olympics in their own capital of Moscow. The Olympics were to be held there that summer and all the countries had planned on attending until the Soviet Union decided to invade Afghanistan. When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan President Jimmy Carter gave them a month to pull their troops out of there or he was going to pull his troops from the Olympic games that summer. The decision for Jimmy Carter to boycott the 1980 Olympics was not easy and easy choice because he had to think of all of the athletes he was going to affect, all of the sponsors and media that he would affect, the American people that he would affect, and he had to worry about if he was going to make the right decision or not.
Background that created the Decision In 1980 the Soviet Union was hosting the 1980 summer Olympic games in Moscow. Like every other year the United States was planning on attending the Olympic games in Moscow, until the Soviet Union placed troops over in Afghanistan. The Soviets placing troops over in Afghanistan posed a big threat on peace and almost started up the Cold War with the United States again. Jimmy Carter (1981)
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President Carter knew that if he didn’t take a stand against the Soviet Union and do something about it, nothing would be done and the next country to be invaded could have been the United States. President Carters decision to boycott the 1980 summer Olympics was not easy for him. Jimmy Carter (1981) states, I have thought about this moment, when I would have to stand before you the American people, you athletes, and you coaches, knowing what the Olympics means to all of you and how disappointed you are not to go (p.518). President Jimmy Carter had to face hard times having to make this decision it was not easy for him to have to let the American people and athletes know that they are not going to the