What was the Open Skies proposal and how did the Soviets respond?

Answer 1

The Open Skies proposal, introduced by U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1955, aimed to promote transparency and reduce the risk of military conflict during the Cold War by allowing nations to conduct unarmed aerial surveillance over each other's territories. The Soviet Union initially rejected the proposal, viewing it as a threat to their national security and an invasion of sovereignty. However, after some negotiations, they later agreed to discuss the idea, but the proposal ultimately did not materialize in the 1950s. The concept resurfaced in later years and became a formal treaty in 1992, although the original Cold War tensions influenced its development.