U-2 Incident

1. U-2 Incident Kevin Park and Michael Paisner

2. U-2 In Context • WWII ended (1945) • Berlin blockade occurred (1948-49) • NATO Formed (1949) • Soviet atomic bomb (1949) • Korean War (1950-53) • Vietnam Split at 17th parallel (1954) • Warsaw Pact (1955)

3. Open Skies • France, GB, US, and Soviet Union • US and USSR share exact locations of all military installations • Soviets reject the plan as an “espionage act” • Soviets actually far behind in techonology

4. U-2 Incident • U-2 espionage going on for several years • Shot down May 1st • Pilot is Francis Gary Powers • Soviets capture Powers and U-2 plane

5. Threat Analysis • Collapse of Paris Summit with Khruschev • “inadmissible, provocative actions” • “Deliberate violation of the Soviet Union” • Crushing defeat for supporters of a “peaceful coexistence.” • Soviet retaliation?

6. Actions/Response • Deny espionage • Claim defensive strategy • (Falsely) Accuse Soviets of similar espionage

7. Bibliography http://www.coldwar.org/articles/60s/u2_incident.asp http://www.state.gov/e/eb/tra/ata/ http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/us-soviet-summit-meeting-collapses http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/eisenhower-presents-his-open-skies-plan http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/primary-resources/eisenhower-u2/