What does the author mean by "an athletic plebiscite for the ideals and political aims of the Third Reich," and what is the strongest evidence provided to support this claim?

Here are the answers to your questions:

1. When the writer states that Hitler wanted the Olympics to be "an athletic plebiscite for the ideals and political aims of the Third Reich," it means that Hitler intended to use the 1936 Olympic Games as a platform to demonstrate and validate the superiority of Nazi Germany's ideology, particularly its belief in Aryan racial supremacy and the strength of its political system, through the athletic achievements of German athletes. He aimed to gain international recognition and approval for these ideals.

2. The strongest evidence the writer includes to support this claim is that Hitler "mobilized all the resources of Germany and spent some $50 million" to achieve this goal. This immense investment of national resources and money highlights the significant effort and political intent behind turning the Olympics into a propaganda tool for the Third Reich.