Gary Powers & the 1960 U2 Incident

 

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Gary PowersWelcome to episode 23 of Cold War Conversations.

Today’s episode is the first in a new partnership we have formed with the Cold War Museum.

We speak with Gary Powers Junior. His father piloted the U2 spy plane shot down over the Soviet Union.

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”.

If you would like to support the podcast further and get access to some exclusive extras go to our web site at coldwarconversations.com and use the Patreon link our home page.

Back to today’s episode and a warm welcome to Gary Powers Jr.

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The Cold War Museum Web site

The Cold War Museum on Facebook

Books

The Cold War – Jeremy Isaacs & Taylor Downing

The Cold War – John Lewis Gaddis

Operation Overflight – Francis Gary Powers

Mayday – Michael Beschloss

Bridge of Spies – Giles Whittell

Brotherhood of Spies

Letters from a Soviet Prison – Gary Powers Jr

Spy Pilot – Gary Powers Jr

Videos

20 minute BBC documentary on the U2 incident

USAF Documentary on the 1960 U2 Incident

Letters from a Soviet Prison – lecture with Gary Powers Jr

Bridge of Spies – movie trailer

3 minute summary of the 1960 U2 Incident