Eli5: why was the US the first to make it to the moon despite the USSR being first in nearly everything else in the Space Race?

Question

Eli5: why was the US the first to make it to the moon despite the USSR being first in nearly everything else in the Space Race?

In: 14546

Answer 1

The main guy in charge of the Soviet space program was named Korolov. He died before the moon race really kicked off but was very much responsible for the other achievements. When he died there was no one even remotely close to operating at his level. Took them a good long while to get back on track.

That was part of it.