US-USSR SUMMIT COLLAPSES
Paris (JFK+50) In the aftermath of the shooting down of a U2 spy plane flying over Soviet air space, the scheduled summit meeting between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Premier Nikita Khrushchev collapsed here in Paris on May 16, 1960.
Mr. Khrushchev demanded that the President cancel all future U2 flights and punish those responsible for the flight of Francis Gary Powers* over the Soviet Union.
When Mr. Eisenhower said that he would only "suspend" the flights and gave no response to the proposal to punish those responsible for the U2 incident, the Soviet premier stalked out of the meetings.
A scheduled visit by President Eisenhower to Moscow was also cancelled. A congressional investigation disclosed that Francis Gary Powers had not divulged any crucial information during his captivity by the Soviets and had conducted himself properly.
*Francis Gary Powers (1929-1977) was born in Jenkins, KY & grew up in Pound, VA. He graduated from Milligan College in TN in 1950 & was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USAF. After his discharge as a Captain in 1956, he joined the CIA. FGP died in a helicopter crash & his remains were buried at Arlington.
Paris (JFK+50) In the aftermath of the shooting down of a U2 spy plane flying over Soviet air space, the scheduled summit meeting between President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Premier Nikita Khrushchev collapsed here in Paris on May 16, 1960.
Mr. Khrushchev demanded that the President cancel all future U2 flights and punish those responsible for the flight of Francis Gary Powers* over the Soviet Union.
When Mr. Eisenhower said that he would only "suspend" the flights and gave no response to the proposal to punish those responsible for the U2 incident, the Soviet premier stalked out of the meetings.
A scheduled visit by President Eisenhower to Moscow was also cancelled. A congressional investigation disclosed that Francis Gary Powers had not divulged any crucial information during his captivity by the Soviets and had conducted himself properly.
*Francis Gary Powers (1929-1977) was born in Jenkins, KY & grew up in Pound, VA. He graduated from Milligan College in TN in 1950 & was commissioned as a 2nd Lt. in the USAF. After his discharge as a Captain in 1956, he joined the CIA. FGP died in a helicopter crash & his remains were buried at Arlington.
Khrushchev looks at U-2 Wreckage
