After missing out on hosting the Games in 1944 because of the war, London hosted the 1948 Games.
War-time destruction meant athletes had to be housed in army barracks and colleges and rationing meant many teams had to bring their own food.
The undoubted star was a 30-year-old mother of two from Holland, Francine ¿Fanny¿ Blankers-Koen.
She won all four events she entered, the 100m, 200m, 80m hurdles and the 4x100m relay.
Indeed she was also the current world record holder in the high and long jumps and might have won those as well had she not be restricted to four events.
Her winning margin in the 200m was a massive 0.7 seconds - a race that was also significant for Audrey Patterson becoming the first black woman to win an Olympic medal - a bronze.
Her American team-mate Alice Coachman benefited by Blankers-Koen's event restriction by winning the high jump to become the first black female gold medallist.
And American Bob Mathias won the decathon at the tender age of 17.
Away from the track, 40-year-old Finnish gymnast Veikko Huhtanen won three golds, a silver and a bronze.
Ilona Elek of Hungary defended her 1936 fencing title and two father-and-son combinations won gold and silver in the star class yachting.
Hilary and Paul Smart of the United States came in ahead of Carlos de Cardenas and Carlos Jnr of Cuba.
Despite Germany and Japan being banned and the USSR not taking part, a record 59 countries competed in 1948.