Final answer:
The Soviet Union and the US both made significant contributions to space exploration during the Cold War. The Soviets had an early advantage with the launch of Sputnik, while the US had superior technology and rockets. Both countries recruited German scientists and engineers from the Nazi V-2 missile program, with Wernher von Braun leading the American program.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Soviet Union and the United States both made significant contributions to space exploration during the Cold War era. While the Soviet Union had an advantage in terms of their early success in launching the world's first satellite, Sputnik, in 1957, the US Army had superior rockets and technology. Despite their differences, the authors propose that both countries should have worked together as they both had valuable contributions to offer.
During World War II, both the US and the Soviet Union sought to acquire elements of the Nazi V-2 missile program and recruited German scientists and engineers to work on their respective rocket programs. The top German rocket scientist, Wernher von Braun, surrendered to US troops and played a key role in leading the American space program. Meanwhile, the Soviet Union's program was managed by Red Army colonel Sergei Korolev.
In response to the Soviet Union's early space achievements, the US government established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1958. While the American space program initially faced challenges, such as the Vanguard program's failures, the US eventually achieved success with the launch of Explorer 1 in 1958.