Aerial Reconnaissance, the Press, and American Foreign Policy, 1950-1954

[...]even this official inquiry dodged questions concerning the purpose of the flight. Convinced of the need for intelligence, military leaders convinced the Truman and Eisenhower administrations to authorize dangerous and provocative aerial reconnaissance missions. [...]by 1954 technological breakthroughs resulting in the Lockheed U2 2 both superior intelligence collection and the prospect of undetected overhead photography that would reduce the cycle of hostility established.