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Did the first post‑WWII Summer Olympics occur in 1948 London?

Question asked:

“The first Summer Olympics after World War II took place in 1948 and was hosted by London, United Kingdom.”
True
Confidence: High Checked on October 25, 2026

Summary

The Summer Olympics resumed after World War II with the 1948 Games, which were held in London, United Kingdom. These Games were the first Olympiad following the 12‑year hiatus caused by the war.

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Sources 57 searched

en.wikipedia.org
  • 1948 Summer Olympics - Wikipedia

    In June 1939, the International ... the 1944 Olympic Summer Games to London, ahead of Rome, Detroit, Budapest, Lausanne, Helsinki, Montreal and Athens. World War II stopped the plans and the Games were cancelled so London again stood as a candidate for 1948. Great Britain almost handed the 1948 games to the United States due to post-war financial ...

diy.org
olympedia.org
  • Olympedia – 1948 Summer Olympics Overview

    Because of time constraints, and the difficulty getting IOC members to travel to a central location for voting on the 1948 Olympic Games, London (Great Britain) was confirmed as the host city by a postal vote. The vote was confirmed at the 40th IOC Session in Lausanne, on 4 September 1946.

  • Olympedia – Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics

    Host city selection · Statistics ... austere Olympics, and it has been written that “London saved the Olympic Games.” Track & field was held in Wembley Stadium, which sat 83,000 people....

londonmuseum.org.uk
britannica.com
ebsco.com
factually.co
  • Which Summer Olympics Were The First Held After World ...

    There were no Olympic Games in 1940 or 1944 because World War II made holding them impossible; the modern sequence therefore picked up again in 1948 in London [1]. Contemporary reporting and later histories emphasize that the interruption was direct and total: the Berlin 1936 Games were the ...

life.com

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