There were significant efforts made at the end of WW2 by both Russia and the United States, to acquire the best nuclear and rocket engineers that the Germans ha

There were significant efforts made at the end of WW2 by both Russia and the United States, to acquire the best nuclear and rocket engineers that the Germans had (e.g. Werner von Braun's team that built the Saturns for Apollo). There was also an obvious existential threat that Russia felt from the US nuclear power displayed at Hiroshima/Nagasaki. Both the US and Russia invested a great deal in means for responding to these threats. While Russia edged out the US in a handful of things early on, by the 1969 Moon landing (if not sooner) it was clear the US had the lead in rocketry as well as nuclear weapons. You might find 'This New Ocean', Burrows, interesting and useful for perspective.