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CIA-UAP-003, The Central Intelligence Agency and Overhead Reconnaissance; The U-2 and OXCART Programs, 1954-1974

Central Intelligence Agency · 1954 · 406 pages · text from the file's own layer

This is a Secret History Staff monograph by Gregory W. Pedlow and Donald E. Welzenbach of the Central Intelligence Agency, published in 1992. It gives a history of the CIA's manned overhead reconnaissance program from 1954 to 1974, covering the development and operation of the U-2 and the A-12 OXCART aircraft. It covers overflights of the Soviet Union, the 1960 downing of Francis Gary Powers, and later operations. One section is titled "U-2s, UFOs, and Operation BLUE BOOK."

From the source:Release of 2026-06-12 This CIA History Staff document chronicles the complete history of the U-2 and OXCART (A-12) high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft programs from 1954 to 1974, detailing their development, operations over the Soviet Union and other targets worldwide, the famous downing of Francis Gary Powers in 1960, organizational reforms following that incident, and the eventual transfer of operations from CIA to Air Force control. A more redacted version of this document has been available on CIA's public website.

  • p. 134 …By the end of the month, foreign troops began evacuating Egyptian terri tory, and the pressure…
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Chapter 3
President Eisenhower was disturbed by the increased superpower
tension that had resulted from violations of Soviet airspace by US
balloons and aircraft because he still hoped to enter into arms I imita
tion negotiations with the Soviets. On 8 September 1958, the United
States sent a note to the Soviet Union calling for a Soviet answer to
US proposals for a " study of the technical aspects of safeguards
against the possibility of surprise attack... One week later the S,oviets
agreed to participate and suggested that the talks begin in Geneva on
IO November I 958. President Eisenhower was also attempting tt:> per
suade the Soviet Union to begin talks aimed at eliminating the atmo
spheric testing of nuclear weapons. These efforts began with a 22
A ugust 1958 offer to suspend US nuclear tests for one year on the
condition that the Soviet Union al so refrain from further tests and join
in negotiations. On 30 August, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev ac
cepted the proposal and agreed to start talks on 3 I October 1958 in
Geneva. When the talks began, however, the Soviets refused to agree
to a test ban and carried out nuclear tests at Semipalatinsk on I and 3
November. Nevertheless, during the late summer and early autumn of
1958, President Eisenhower. detennined to reduce to a minimum any
aggravation of the Soviets. kept the U-2 overflight program in
[. b 10 1
_ 1_ro o.
In November 1958, relations with the Soviet Union worsened af
ter Khrushchev prec ipitated a new crisis over West Berlin by an
nouncing plans to sign a peace treaty with East Germany by May
1959. He stated that such a treaty would terminate Allied rights in
West Berlin. Four days later, Soviet troops began harassing US Anny
truck convoys on the highways leading from West Germany to West
Berlin. Although this new Berlin crisis never became as threat,ening
as the blockade of l 948-49, President Eisenhower wished to :avoid
any actions that would provoke the Soviets. Tension over West Berlin
was, therefore, an additional reason for continuing to keep the U-2
away from the Soviet Bloc. oo:
CONCERNS ABOUT SOVIET COUNTERMEASURES
AGAINST THE U-2
Another reason for President Eisenhower's gro~ ing re l!J.~ ance to au
thorize flights over the Soviet Union may have ~ en c~ ;rn , hat the
Soviets were developing countenneasures that would enable them to
" " Ambrose. Eisenhower: The President. pp. 489-J9 I.
"'' Ibid.. pp. 502-504.
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Official release, from the pursue collection. The PDF is mirrored here; the original link is above. 406 pages are in the text index: search them above, or from the library's search.