1. The U2 Spy Plane Incident

2. How did this conflict impact the balance of power between the US and the USSR?
The U2 Spy plane incident negated one of America’s most important advantages and re-intensified tensions between the two superpowers. Overall, it caused a shift in favor of the USSR.

3. Long Term Causes
Nuclear Tensions; both sides feared their enemies weapon capabilities.
Khrushchev claimed USSR nuclear capabilities were advanced
The U.S. committed espionage for four years. The Russians were aware of this war crime, but neither their jets or missiles could reach the U2 spy plane.

4. An Unfair Game of Battleship

5. Short Term Causes
The USSR developed a new Zenith missile with a longer range. On May 1, that weapon locked onto a U-2 flown by CIA pilot Francis Gary Powers, destroying the plane and forcing powers to eject.
The Eisenhower administration claimed that the aircraft was merely a spy plane. Their story was disproved by hard evidence, and Eisenhower was forced to confess to espionage.

6. Key Events
The Eisenhower administration took responsibility for the spy flights and admitted that the weather plane explanation was false.
The U-2 incident had convinced Khrushchev that he could no longer cooperate with Eisenhower, and the Soviet leader walked out of the Paris meeting just hours after it began.
Powers received his freedom in February 1962, when he and Soviet agent Rudolf Abel became the subjects of the first “spy swap” between America and the Soviet Union.

7. Short Term Consequences
The Paris meeting collapsed and there was no Test Ban Treaty.
The cold war became substantially more dangerous. Soviet negotiators abandoned talks of nuclear disarmament.
The incident was seen as a defeat for the US, so John F Kennedy was elected as president because he promised to get tougher with the Russians

8. Long Term Consequences
There was no discussion about the problem of Berlin - which, ultimately, led to the Berlin Wall.
Eisenhower’s reputation was tarnished,and Khrushchev lost all trust in U.S relations.
Brought a new chill to relations between America and the USSR and set the stage for further confrontations.

9. Conclusion
This conflict caused the balance in power to slightly shift towards the USSR. Its main impact was rekindling the conflict between the two superpowers.
This conflict was a prime representation of the importance of trust. Once it is lost it is very hard to regain.

10. Bibliography
"American U-2 Spy Plane Shot down." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 06 Apr
History.com Staff. "U-2 Spy Incident." History.com. A&E Television Networks, 01 Jan Web. 05 Apr
"Military.com Content." Military.com Content. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr
"U-2 Overflights and the Capture of Francis Gary Powers, – Milestones - Office of the Historian." U-2 Overflights and the Capture of Francis Gary Powers, – Milestones - Office of the Historian. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Apr
Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 06 Apr