1940 Winter Olympics

The 1940 Winter Olympics, should have been held in Sapporo, Japan, on February 3 - 12, 1940. These would have been the V Olympic Winter Games. The games were cancelled (not held) because of the start of the war between Japan and China, the Second Sino-Japanese War, in 1937. Sapporo gave the games back to the control of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July 1938.

The IOC decided to give the Winter Olympics to St. Moritz, Switzerland. There were some problems between the Swiss organizers and the IOC so the Games were cancelled again. The IOC then gave the 1940 Winter Olympics to Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. Garmisch-Partenkirchen had hosted the 1936 Winter Olympics. The Games were to be held from February 2 - 11, 1940. When World War II began in 1939, the IOC decided in November 1939 not to hold the 1940 Winter Games at all.

St. Moritz later held the 1948 Winter Olympics and Sapporo held the 1972 Winter Olympics.