U2 Crisis

What was the U2 Crisis?

The U2 Crisis happened when the Soviet Union shot down a U2 American spy plane.

What happened in the U2 Crisis?

The 4 key events in the story of the U2 Crisis are:

• ❖ US pilot Gary Powers flew a U2 spy plane over the Soviet Union to spy on its military capabilities.
• ❖ Khrushchev ordered the spy plane to be shot down and Powers was arrested and put on trial as a spy.
• ❖ The USA tried to claim it was only a weather plane, but the Soviets produced clear evidence it was a spy plane.
• ❖ Gary Powers was jailed for ten years by the Soviets.

When was the U2 crisis?

The U2 Crisis happened on 1st May, 1960.

What was the impact of the U2 crisis?

The U2 Crisis had 3 main consequences.

• ❖ Khrushchev stormed out of the Paris Peace Conference in 1960.
• ❖ The idea of the 'thaw' in tensions created during de-Stalinisation was over. Tensions were now high again.
• ❖ President Kennedy promised to be tougher on communism.