▁Richard ▁Leg horn ▁was ▁a ▁former ▁United ▁States ▁Air ▁Force ▁( US AF ) ▁aer ial ▁reconna issance ▁expert ▁who ▁had ▁first ▁proposed ▁flying ▁reconna issance ▁miss ions ▁over ▁enemy ▁territory ▁in ▁pe ac etime . ▁Leg horn ▁left ▁the ▁Air ▁Force ▁to ▁become ▁head ▁of ▁East man ▁K od ak ' s ▁European ▁division , ▁and ▁started ▁writing ▁about ▁the ▁" Open ▁Sk ies " ▁proposal , ▁which ▁he ▁strongly ▁supported . ▁ ▁Open ▁Sk ies ▁proposed ▁to ▁allow ▁any ▁signing ▁nation ▁to ▁over fly ▁any ▁other , ▁which ▁Leg horn ▁believed ▁would ▁lower ▁international ▁t ensions ▁by ▁allowing ▁countries ▁to ▁verify ▁the ▁actions ▁of ▁their ▁advers aries . ▁Eisen h ower ▁raised ▁the ▁issue ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 5 ▁Gene va ▁sum mit ▁meet ings ▁as ▁a ▁way ▁to ▁reduce ▁mut ual ▁fear s ▁of ▁a ▁surprise ▁attack . ▁At ▁the ▁time , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁would ▁have ▁had ▁a ▁huge ▁advantage ▁if ▁Open ▁Sk ies ▁was ▁adopted , ▁as ▁their ▁numerous ▁European ▁and ▁Asian ▁air b ases ▁would ▁allow ▁them ▁access ▁to ▁the ▁Soviet ▁heart land , ▁while ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁USS R ▁bases ▁in ▁the ▁Amer icas ▁— ▁this ▁being ▁prior ▁to ▁the ▁Cub an ▁Revolution ▁— ▁would ▁have ▁made ▁the ▁treat y ▁an ▁empty ▁promise . ▁Un sur pr ising ly , ▁the ▁S ovi ets ▁opposed ▁Open ▁Sk ies , ▁something ▁Eisen h ower ▁later ▁admitted ▁he ▁fully ▁expected . ▁ ▁While ▁Leg horn ' s ▁writ ings ▁on ▁the ▁topic ▁were ▁being ▁widely ▁read