The U-2 Incident occurred on May 1, 1960, when an American spy plane, the U-2, was shot down over the Soviet Union. The aircraft was conducting high-altitude reconnaissance missions to gather intelligence during the Cold War. The pilot, Francis Gary Powers, was captured by Soviet forces. Initially, the United States claimed the plane was a weather research mission, but the Soviets revealed the true purpose after capturing Powers. This incident heightened tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union, leading to a breakdown in diplomatic relations and impacting the Paris Summit later that month.