The American public initially reacted with shock and disbelief to the U-2 incident, which occurred in 1960. The U-2 was an American spy plane that was shot down while flying over the Soviet Union. The American public was surprised that the Soviet Union was capable of shooting down the high-flying U-2, which was thought to be invulnerable to Soviet defenses.
However, once the incident became public knowledge, many Americans began to view it as a major embarrassment for the United States. The Soviet Union had captured the pilot, Gary Powers, and put him on trial for espionage. The incident raised questions about the intelligence-gathering capabilities of the United States and created tensions between the two superpowers.
Overall, the U-2 incident was seen as a significant event in the Cold War and had a significant impact on American public opinion about the Soviet Union and the United States' foreign policy. It helped to further polarize the two nations and set the stage for further tensions during the Cold War.