The U2 Crisis

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The U2 Crisis

Background to the U2 Crisis

Since 1950 USA had been illegally flying spying missionary planes over the USSR so Eisenhower could know more about USSR nuclear capability. began in 1950 without consent of Truman when he found out he disapproved and banned them because he thought it was wring having them invading soviet space. In 1956 the flights began again. with agreement of president eisenhower. Capabilities of the U Spy planes were:

Could not be shot down

Had very good listening devices

Advanced photography

Could read a newspaper from 23,000 ft in the air

Known as undetectable because the planes flew too high to be spotted on USSR radar.

The USA benefited frombusing one of these because they were always fully info®med.

But Kruschev was furious about the flights but he couldn't do anything as he had no proof at all and he didn't want to admit that they didn't have as advanced technology as The USA.

U2 Crisis unfolds.

May 1960 recieved news that Soviets had shot down a U2 plane.

Pilot Gary powers parachuted to safety but was later arrested by soviet soldiers and accused the USA of spying.They took him prisoner. in the plane was a capsule for gary to take if the plane was to be shot down so ussr wouldn't be able to find anything out about there technology but gary didn't take this which made almost a hate figure to the Usa. Eisenhower refused to apologise to the USSR and said that flights would be continuing. Kruschev refuse d to attend power summit and pulled out.

as a result this worsened relations between isa and ussr again.

The impact of the crisis

Eisen hower was viewed by Europe and most americans about being too soft with the soviets John F Kennedy exploited his feeling effectively in presidential elections of 1960 he talked up the threat of the missile gap. 1961 kennedy won the election and became president.