Best Olympic Opening Ceremonies

The Olympic Games is an important international event, and some of the best Olympic opening ceremonies still serve historic significance. A passion towards the Olympic Games is not merely a passion towards sports, but is in fact a celebration of peace and healthy competition internationally. The following Olympic opening ceremonies are some of the best in history not because of their spectacular performances, but because of their role in recent history.

1. 1936 Berlin Olympics. This is considered as one of the best Olympic opening ceremonies because it opened the eyes of people around the globe of what Nazi ideology entails. Berlin was awarded to host the game before Hitler came into power. During the opening ceremony, Hitler entered the stadium, and everyone, including the athletes, were expected to greet the Fuhrer with their right hand rising. Some French and Canadian athletes allegedly saluted Hitler like the Germans although they denied the claim.
2. 1964 Tokyo Olympics. In 1959, Tokyo beat Vienna, Detroit, and Brussels and became the host of the 1964 Olympics host. It is the first time for an Asian country to host the Olympics Game. People often see the 1964 Olympics as having one of the best Olympic opening ceremonies as it signified the emergence of Japan after the Second World War. 
3. 1980 Moscow Olympics. This Olympics was highly controversial and a lot of countries boycotted it in protest of Soviet's war in Afghanistan. At the end, only 80 countries participated. It is seen as one of the best Olympic opening ceremonies because the leader of the Soviet Union Leonid Brezhnev made a public appearance in a significant international event that was supposed to foster peaceful relationships. 
4. 2008 Beijing Olympics. When Beijing was awarded as the host for the 2008 Olympics, many human rights groups were concerned that China would take this as a sign that the international community no longer criticized it on its various human rights violations. Politics aside, many people around the world were amazed to witness one of the best Olympic opening ceremonies. The venue of the ceremony is the newly created Beijing National Stadium, which Chinese people fondly refer to as the "bird nest." 

Some of the best Olympic opening ceremonies are significant both politically and historically.