Soviet Union

Andrei Sakharov designed the Soviet hydrogen bomb in 1953, then spent three decades fighting for human rights — enduring exile, hunger strikes, and KGB surveillance.

The United States has won more than 1,100 Olympic gold medals since 1896 — more than any other nation. The Soviet Union, which no longer exists, ranks second. Here's the all-time medal table, the stories behind the dominant nations, and how the balance of Olympic power has shifted over 130 years.