The 1912 Stockholm Olympic Games, the V Olympiad, are remembered as a model of efficiency and a significant step in the modernization of the Games. Held from May 5th to July 27th, Sweden showcased meticulous organization, introducing innovations like automatic timing devices and photo-finish cameras for track events. For the first time, all five continents were represented, with 28 nations and a then-record of 2,407 athletes (including 48 women) participating in 102 events across 14 sports. Japan made its Olympic debut, marking the first participation of an Asian nation.

The Games saw the debut of women's swimming and diving events, as well as the modern pentathlon, a sport specifically created for the Olympics. There was no boxing as it was prohibited under Swedish law. The arts competitions also made their inaugural appearance, with medals awarded for artistic endeavors. The opening ceremony saw athletes enter the stadium by nation, a tradition that continues today.

American Jim Thorpe, a Native American, became a celebrated hero, winning gold in both the pentathlon and decathlon by significant margins, leading King Gustav V of Sweden to famously declare him the "greatest athlete in the world." However, this triumph was later overshadowed when Thorpe was controversially stripped of his medals in 1913 for having played semi-professional baseball years earlier, a decision that sparked decades of debate before his medals were posthumously reinstated in 1982.

Other notable performances included Finland's Hannes Kolehmainen, who dominated distance running with three gold medals. The United States topped the medal count with 26 gold medals, while host nation Sweden won the most overall medals with 65. Tragically, Portuguese marathon runner Francisco Lázaro collapsed and died during the race. The Stockholm Games were the last Olympics held for eight years due to the outbreak of World War I, yet they left a legacy of improved organization and a truly global reach for the Olympic movement.