The U2 crisis, 1960

Background

After 1957, tension grew between Russia and America:

1. Russia’s Sputnik satellite (1957) and space orbit (1961) gave them a psychological advantage.  Many Americans believed America was in danger.

2. Oleg Troyanovsky, a Soviet diplomat and former collegue of Khrushchev, rememberd that that a turning point in Khrushchev's foreign policy came in 1958 when, after the West had snubbed his peace overtures for five years, he decided to force the Western powers to listen.   In 1958, he delivered an ultimatum, demanding that the US, Great Britain and France pull their forces out of West Berlin within six months.

3. In 1959, the Communist Fidel Castro took power in Cuba, right next to America.  In 1960, he made a trade agreement with Russia.

4. Communist China was very aggressive.  When Khrushchev visited America in 1959, the Chinese accused him of going soft; this made Khrushchev demand that America withdraw from West Berlin.

The Summit Meetings

As part of his policy of 'Peaceful Co-existence', Khrushchev was happy to meet with western leaders at 'summit' meetings to discuss issues of tension.  There were four such summits:

1. Geneva (July 1955):

   The stated aim was to reduce international tenions.  Isssued discussed included trade, the nuclear arms race and the reunification of Germany.  Eisenhower proposed an 'open skies' policy that Russia and America would let spy planes fly over each other's countries, so that they could be assured the other wasn't preparing for war.  Khrushchev refused to agree to German reunification because the Americans would not agree to withdraw UN troops from Germany, and would not even talk about 'open skies'.

2. Camp David (September 1959):

   Eisenhower nd Khrushchev discussed disarmaments.  Although there were no specific agreements, they issued a joint statement that: "these discussions have been useful in clarifying each other’s position on a number of subjects [which] will contribute to a better understanding of the motives and position of each, and thus to the achievement of a just and lasting peace.”  A visit was planned for Eisenhower to go to Russia.

3. Paris (May 1960):

The summit planned to discuss nuclear weapons and the situation in Berlin (Khrushchev wanted Berlin to be a ‘Free City’ with minimal military presence from other powers, and for the recognition of East Germany).   Read on for what happened (it was a disaster)...

4. Vienna (1961):

See here for what happened (it was another disaster).

Going Deeper

History Channel - clear, basic narrative

British Movietone News - can you spot all the attempts to deflect blame?

Podcast

- Giles Hill on the U2 crisis

What happened?

On 5 May 1960 – just 9 days before the summit – the Russians announced that on 1 May they had shot down an American U2 spy-plane.

The U2 planes flew so high that the Americans believed it was out of range of Soviet fighter plane or Surface-to-Air missiles.  Also, the U2 pilot, Gary Powers, had been given saxitoxin to kill himself if taken prisoner.  So at first, whilst they reported that a plane had been lost, they claimed that it was because the pilot had experienced oxygen difficulties. 

And when the Soviet Union announced that it had shot down a spy-plane, the Americans claimed that it was a weather-plane that had gone off-course. 

On 7 May, however, the Russians showed the pilot Gary Powers to the world, put him on trial for spying, and showed photos of the surveillance equipment from the plane AND photographs of Soviet military bases.  Khrushchev announced:

I must tell you a secret.  When I made my first report I deliberately did not say that the pilot was alive and well ...  and now just look how many silly things the Americans have said.

The Americans were forced to admit in Congress that it was an espionage mission.  The whole House stood and applauded in a gesture of unity ...  but internationally the US had been caught telling lies, and humiliated.

Source A

Wreckage of Powers's U2 plane on display at the Central Army Museum in Moscow.

The results were:

1. Paris summit ruined; Cold War tension worsens

   The summit met at Paris on 14 May 1960.  Khrushchev condemned the “inadmissible, provocative actions” of the US and refused to take part in the talks unless Eisenhower apologised and cancelled all future spy-flights.
   Eisenhower, furious at this public attack, agreed only to 'suspend' the spy-flights, and would not apologise – so Khrushchev went home; the Paris Summit collapsed before it had even started.
   The planned visit by Eisenhower to Russia cancelled.

2. Khrushchev and the Russians grew in confidence/ became more assertive.

3. Americans blamed Eisenhower, whom they said was losing the Cold War.  After the U2 incident, America became more aggressive.  They elected John F Kennedy, who promised to be tougher on communism.