What was the U-2 Plane Incident?

Question

I'm kind've confused what exactly the U-2 Plane Incident was...
would anyone care to please explain in detail for me?
I would be so very Greatful!!

Thank-you!!
<3Xcstasy

Answer 1

There were actually two or so U-2 spyplane incidents (it is a high-altitude plane that is designed for the role of spying and no other one, go to www.wikipedia.org and type in U-2 Spyplane to look at pics it looks awkward. I built a model of it it is large and cumbersome) The first was when a U-2 was shot down over the Soviet Union by an antiaircraft missile during the Eisenhower administration. The second was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The U-2 was trying to locate sites to give to the decision makers back in Washington of the readiness of Soviet Missile preparations. It was shot down most likely by a rogue commander of an antiaircraft missile site and it almost escalated to full-blown war. In the first incident, the pilot, Francis Gary Powers, survived and was paraded in front of the whole world, and the Soviets knew he was an American, and it created an international incident. He was put on trial and sentenced to hard labor in Siberia, but the U.S. exchanged him for a Soviet spy caught in the U.S. and he returned to the U.S. alive. In the other incident, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, the pilot did not survive.

Answer 2

Thru out the 50s, the United States was making spy flights over various parts of Russia (interested in their nuclear as well as military build up) using a plane, the U-2 built by Lockheed. At the time russia did not have anything that could bring down the plane.
They made a lucky shot to bring down the U-2 which was having engine problems. Francis Gary Powers was the pilot. This caused the United States great embarrassment and even problems at the United Nations, partially because it was denied at first.

The United States started developing the "Blackbird" to overcome any possible advances in shooting down planes. These were later replaced by spy satelites.

Answer 3

The U2 Incident was when a U.S.A.F U2 spyplane was shot down over Russian skies. The pilot was released back to the United States in a trade for a Russian the U.S had. The more significant effect of this incident is that it soured relations between President Eisenhower and Premier Krushev (sp?) the day before the Paris Conference. Relations had been better in the months before and Ike proposed a freedom of the skies at the Camp David meeting, this incident ended hope or that, as well as the "thawing" of the Cold War that happened before things got ugly in the 60's.

Answer 4

The U-2 can fly at 70,000 feet and hang around for hours observing. In the beginning, they could tell it was there but not do much about it. This was before reconnaissance satellites. By 1960, the Soviet union had SA-2 surface to air missiles, and that's what they used to shoot down Francis Gary Powers. We swapped one of their spies for him. This is probably the U-2 incident you're referring to.

There were consequences, and they helped lead up to the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. Soviets claimed their arms shipments to Cuba were defensive weapons, but they did their best to hide whatever they were shipping in. When they started setting up SA-2 missile batteries, it was obvious they didn't want anybody watching. Two U-2s flew over in spite of this, less than two weeks apart. The first one made it back, the second was shot down. Kennedy revealed that the Soviet Union was arming Cuba with medium-range nuclear missiles, which was a calculated risk. In order to raise an objection, he had to reveal the quality of our ability to spy. But the crisis was eventually averted.

As for the U-2, the Air Force took delivery of the last one in 1989. The entire fleet of 32 has just been upgraded and is still useful. Not bad for a plane designed with slide rules and first flown in 1955.

Answer 5

A U2 was a high altitude spy plane (since replaced by the Blackbird or SR71) used the U.S. military to spy on Russia in the late 1950's and 1960's. In 1961, one was shot down over Russia and the pilot, Gary Powers, was tried for espionage by Kruschev and his communist cronies. He was eventually release in a trade with the U.S. for a top Russian spy held by them under the orders of President John Kennedy.

Answer 6

In 1960, the Soviets caught one of our spyplanes, piloted by Gary Powers. See

http://www.aiipowmia.com/koreacw/powers.html
http://www.geocities.com/siafdu/powers.html
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/u2.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-2_Crisis_of_1960