Cold War Conversations

Gary Powers & the 1960 U2 Incident

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Episode notes

Powers' U-2 was shot down on May 1, 1960, as he flew over Soviet airspace, and after parachuting out of the plane he was captured and convicted of espionage.

He was sentenced to 10 years in prison but was freed on Feb. 10, 1962, in exchange for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel.

The incident and exchange was detailed on the Steven Spielberg film “Bridge of Spies”.


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