Twelve nations made their first Olympic appearance in 1952 : The Bahamas , Gold Coast ( now Ghana ) , Guatemala , Hong Kong , Indonesia , Israel , Netherlands Antilles , Nigeria , Saar , the Soviet Union ( USSR ) , Thailand , and Vietnam . Thirteen nations made their first Olympic appearance in 1952 : The Bahamas , China , Gold Coast ( now Ghana ) , Guatemala , Hong Kong , Indonesia , Israel , Netherlands Antilles , Nigeria , Soviet Union ( USSR ) , Thailand , and Vietnam .