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U-2 Spy Plane Incident
At the height of the cold war, as critics of the Eisenhower administration complained about the growing "missile gap," the United States secretly gathered data on Soviet missile capabilities through photographs obtained from U-2 reconnaissance plane overflights of the Soviet Union. In May 1960, plans were finalized for a crucial Paris summit conference between western nations and leaders of the Soviet Union with disarmament to be the main focus. Hopes for a successful summit were dashed when on May 1, May Day, an American U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet air space. On the first day of the Paris summit, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev stormed out after delivering a condemnation of U.S. spy activities.
- Background Paper on Soviet Overflights
- CIA Comments on True Magazine Article, May 1960
- CIA Memo Listing Overflight of the Soviet Bloc
- CIA Report on U2 Vulnerability Tests
- Conference for Authorization by the President to Produce Thirty U-2 Aircraft
- Cover Plan to Be Used for Downed U2 Flight
- Memo for Ann Whitman, Discusses Khruchev and Summit Conference
- Memo for Director of the CIS Concerning Use of U2 Reconnaissance
- Memo for Re
- Memo for Recoed Regarding Plans for U2 Successor Plan
- Memo for Record Re Cancellation of Baltic Area Overflights
- Memo for Record Regarding Discontinuation of Overflights
- Memo for the Record Authorizing One Additional U2 Flight Prior to May 1, 1960
- Memo for the Record Discussin Overflights
- Memo for the Record Regarding Possibility Additional Overflights
- Memo of Conference With President
- Memo of Conference With the Presdident Re Recent Progress in Reconnaissance Devices
- Memo of Conference With the President
- Memo of Conference With the President Re Continuation of Overflight Program
- Memo of Conference With the President Regarding Approval of Overflight
- Memo of Conference With the President Regarding Enemy Icbm Development
- Memo of Conference With the President Regarding Overflight Concerns
- Memo of Conference With the President Regarding Successor Aircraft to U2
- Memo of Confernce With the President Regarding Soviet Fighter Capability
- Memo of Conversation, Bipartisan Leaders Breakfest With the President
- Memo Regarding Handling of Satellite Reconnaissance Products
- NASA Press Release Concerning Missing U2 Airplane
- Radio Interview With Drew Pearson of Washington Post
- Report on Project Corona, March 17, 1959
- State Department Press Release Concerning U2 Incident
- State Department Press Release Numner 254 Concerning U2 Incident
- State Department Telegram For American Embassy in Moscow
- State Dept. Telegram Re Coordination With British
- Statement by the President Regarding U2 Incident
- Washington Post Article, US Heard Russians Chasing U2