The Olympic Games were suspended indefinitely following the outbreak of World War II (Winter War in particular) and did not resume until the London Games of 1948. The games were planned to be in Sapporo, Japan, but the Japanese organisers withdrew in 1938 because of the Second Sino-Japanese War. The 1940 Games were rescheduled to be held in Helsinki, Finland, the runner-up in the 1940 Olympics bidding process. The 1940 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were not held. The dates for the games changed to July 20 to Aug. 4, but in the end, the 1940 Olympic Games were never meant to be. The 1940 Summer Olympics were supposed to happen in Tokyo from September 21 to October 6, a decision made in 1936. The games were planned to be in Sapporo, Japan, but the Japanese organisers withdrew in 1938 because of the Second Sino-Japanese War. 1940 Summer and Winter Olympics (Tokyo/Helsinki) The decision to postpone Tokyo 2020 is a cruel irony as the Japanese hosts have been here … The IOC decided to give the Winter Olympics to St. Moritz, Switzerland.

The Second Sino-Japanese War, which would soon be absorbed into the larger conflict of World War II, commenced in July of 1937. The 1940 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were not held. The 1940 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were to be celebrated in 1940 in Sapporo, Japan, but the games were eventually canceled due to the onset of World War II. The Games were then scheduled to be staged from July 20 to August 4, 1940. The IOC decided to give the Winter Olympics to St. Moritz, Switzerland. The IOC then awarded the Games to Helsinki, Finland, the city that had been the runner-up in the original bidding process.