Tag #U-2 Incident

What were the immediate consequences of the U-2 incident, and how did it impact US-Soviet relations?

On May 1, 1960, a U-2 spy plane piloted by Francis Gary Powers was shot down over Soviet airspace, resulting in an international incident. Powers was captured, and the incident heightened Cold War tensions, nearly escalating to nuclear war. The event led to a public trial and eventual prisoner exchange.