How might the cold war have progressed if the U-2 incident had never occoured?

Answer 1

It was a gotcha moment. Russia knew we were making overflights, and the fact that they shot down a plane doing it gave them a chance to embarrass the US, but did not change anyones attitude.

Answer 2

there exchange right into a thaw in family members between Eisenhower and Khrushchev. In 1955 divided Austria exchange into allowed to reunite. Khrushchev cut back elementary forces, announcing the ICBM will preserve the Soviet Union. yet Eisenhower had U2 reconisense that confirmed Soviet ICBM have been a shaggy dog tale. So Eisenhower did not boost protection spending, and did not throw gas on the boost.