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The tale was based on true events. Francis Gary Power was shot down by the Russians just about the time I was supposed to separate from the Air Force (1960) and the exchange for a high-level Russian spymaster all happened. It was a time that the US and Soviet Russia were circling each other like a pair of wary tomcats, so the tension in the story was very real.

Because of the turmoil and uncertainty, I actually spent four years, two months and twenty-four days in service, as the Air Force was on alert for a few days there. A lot of personnel actions were deferred for a short while.

There have always been questions surrounding Powers. Eisenhower presumably ordered overflights of the USSR to stop, pending his planned trip there. However, Powers was launched despite this by the CIA.

The photo shown by the Russians of the ‘damaged U-2’ may not have been that of Powers’ plane, or even of a U-2. IF not, what happened to his plane?

The KGB knew Powers was coming and what his likely flight path would be, from agents in Turkey and elsewhere.

So, did Powers have a suicide pill and decline to use it (understandable), resulting in his being caught alive and identified as a US pilot? And then being put on trial where he was made to perform as the Soviets wished?

Did the KGB or the CIA plan for Powers to be shot down, in order to sabotage Ike’s trip to Russia (and possible openings)?

Did Powers actually land his plane, rather than crash?

Don’t know the answers to any of those; all of the above is pure speculation.

That we traded a valuable Russian spy (Abel) for Powers (a questionable figure) was not extremely popular at the time.

I have been on a movie watching binge, but haven't seen that one yet. But I saw "The Martian" which was OK, but sort of predictable and boring. Great special effects though.

The sleeper of the fall in my opinion is "Sicario"

Wow, fantastic movie, led by Benicio del Toro, in the lead role of a mysterious anti-drug operative of the FedGov.

What I liked about this movie is it not only showed the chaos on the border, but the chaos in Mexico. And the fact that the chaos there is headed here is made explicitly. The young, tough woman FBI agent is schooled in the realities of Latino drug gang culture.

Along the way, while there is never any doubt about who the good guys are the level of moral ambiguity rises and rises.

The last scene in the movie, a coda really, could serve as an epitaph for our entire nation at this time; "this is a land of wolves now".

It had a pretty amazing 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and 4 stars from IMDB - ratings rarely achieved by any movie. Also, the cinematography is fantastic. The bleached out heat of the Sonoaran desert is well captured. And the location scenes from Juarez show the side of Mexico that is driving the millions of Mexicans into our once-peaceful nation and transforming it, especially the border area, into "the land of wolves".

Here is a snipit promo for the film.

I was young too when these events happened. I remember two things about it: (1) People were disappointed with Gary Powers for not taking his L Pill and killing himself. The general opinion was that he was a cowardly traitor for not doing that and allowing himself to be captured alive. There was a sort of comic book mentality people had back then that everyone was expected to act like heroes in the movies or something. (2) Not knowing that the Russians had captured Powers or that parts of the U2 airplane were in their possession, Eisenhower categorically denied that any Americans were involved. When he was exposed as having lied about Powers, the general public was actually taken aback that their president would lie publically. Silly as it may seem now, this was not something that the average American expected.