Explanation: The U-2 was a US spy plane of the Cold War which flew too high to be intercepted by Soviet air defenses. Since it was unable to be intercepted, the Soviets were also reluctant to admit to its existence, even in accusations, as it would be an admission of weakness. This gave the U-2 an aura of invulnerability in most cases.
After a U-2 intruding on Soviet airspace was successfully shot down, the USA attempted to claim it was just an innocent weather-monitoring plane that had flown off course.
The Soviets, then, gleefully revealed that they had both the pilot and the plane’s film rolls, which were filled with photos of Soviet military bases.
On 7 May, Khrushchev sprang his trap and announced:[10]
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 US then had no choice but to walk back their denial and admit it was a spy plane, and that they had been spying with the U-2 for the past several years.
They were just documenting the weather at those Soviet military bases. Source: Trust me bro.
Unusually cunning of the Soviets. I understand it was also quite a feat to shoot it down in the first place.
Khrushchev was often cunning on matters of international politics. Brezhnev, more a blunt instrument; his foreign policy was for domestic consumption, not international.
And poor Gorby was an idealist.
There’s a pretty good chance we’re all alive because of him. So in that sense he was pretty successful. I don’t think anybody could have successfully reformed the Soviet Union.
There’s a pretty good chance we’re all alive because of him.
So that’s the bastard who is to blame. I could be chilling in the void right now but instead I have bills and responsibilities.
Francis Gary Powers, the U2 pilot who survived being shot down by the Soviets, died tragically in 1977 when the helicopter he was flying ran out of fuel and crash landed.
Talk about a cruel irony.
Props to PugJesus for basically carrying this community, huge respect
It’s become much more lively (other than me) the past few months! Hopefully I’ll be only an occasional poster in a year or so! XD
