Post 2: Artifacts (Primary Sources)

Caroll Daily Times - Reds Exchange U2 Pilot for Top Spy (February 10, 1962) - This article is informing the public of the trade between Gary Powers, Frederic Pryor, and Rudolf Abel, because it had been a secret mission, until the trade occurred.


History.com video- This is a video of Frances Gary Powers confessing to "spying" on the Russians for the US, on his U2 plane during his trial. After confessing, he was sentenced to ten years in Russian prison.

The Daily News (Pennsylvania February 12, 1962)- This is an article talking about the return of Gary Powers, after being traded for Russian spy, Rudolf Abel. The article also talks about the controversy of whether or not Powers revealed US secrets in the years he was being held captive, which was a reason he was not well liked by Americans, for not going down with the plane. 

US Air Force Museum- This is a picture of the original U2 plane being flown in the early 1960's. This is the same type of plane that Gary Powers flew, and was shot down in, before being taken in by the Russians. These planes were very new at the time, and could fly at an altitude of 70, 000 feet, which was a game changer for the Cold War.

Eisenhower Archives- This is a press release containing a note that the American embassy at Moscow sent to the Soviet Ministry of foreign affairs regarding Power's plane being shot down. This paper was sent May 6, 1960, five days after the U2 plane and pilot went missing. The embassy is asking the Russians to give them facts about what happened with the plane and the pilot.

Eisenhower Archives- This is the document of the Russians responding to the American's note. It is informing the US that Russia knows that Gary Power's acts were "aggressive" as he was spying on and trespassing Soviet territory. The note also tells the US that Powers is still alive and will be held in trial. The note also seems to be shaming the US for this act of spying, saying they're usually the ones to shame this act.

                                         

Youtube.com Bert the Turtle- This is a show called Bert the Turtle, shown in schools in the 1960's. It was a safety video on what to do if an atomic bomb comes. At the time, no one knew whether or not Russia would set one off at the US, so kids in schools would learn what to do if one came. This goes with the movie, because in one of the scenes, Donovans son fills up the bath tub, because he is scared they may run out of water if an atomic bomb hits, because he has learned about them in school.

 FBI.gov-Hollow Nickel- This is an image of a piece of spy equipment used in the cold war. It is a hollow nickel, where very small coded messages can be read. Rudolf Abel used these in his time spying in America, which is shown at the beginning of the Bridge of Spies.