1. when the u2 plane was shot down by the soviet union, what did the u. s. say was the reason the plane was there? what was the real reason?

Initially, the US authorities acknowledged the incident as the loss of a civilian weather research aircraft operated by NASA, Espionage photographic aerial reconnaissance deep into Soviet territory.

Explanation:

The USA claimed the plane was doing weather research. Actually, the new type of airplane was spying, taking reconnaissance photographs of the USSR.

Explanation: The U2 plane’s pilot had ejected before it crashed. He was captured by the Soviets. So the USA’s true purpose became known. Eventually, the USA arranged a prisoner exchange to get their pilot back.

2018 means 2018 ce or common era

there have been other eras too including bce, which included way more years.

when world war i broke out across europe in 1914, president woodrow wilson proclaimed the united states would remain neutral, and many americans supported this policy of nonintervention. however, public opinion about neutrality started to change after the sinking of the british ocean liner lusitania by a german u-boat in 1915; almost 2,000 people perished, including 128 americans. along with news of the zimmerman telegram threatening an alliance between germany and mexico, wilson asked congress for a declaration of war against germany. the u.s. officially entered the conflict on april 6, 1917.