[euyyn]

Just from the look of it, without having read the book nor Degroot's critics, looks like a pretty unbalanced viewpoint:

"In the things the we seemed to be behind, we actually were ahead but it was a secret. In the things we irrefutably were behind, it's because we were just waiting for them to set the precedent".

When an argument has such an onanistic appeal to patriots, it's suspect.

[drzaiusapelord]

That book is fairly critical and a far cry from a patriotic tome. If anything, its anti-patriotic and is overly critical of NASA and US space policy while being fairly mum on the Soviet program and not having too much criticism of the costs of the Soviet programs. That book is the anti-Apollo and dismissive of US accomplishments. Sadly, we live in an age where ahistoric claptrap gets popular because internet forum bubbles encourage "alternative" thinking for the sake of being contrarian.

It is also full of dishonestly. The son of one of the engineers claims a interview in the book never happened:

https://www.amazon.com/Dark-Side-Moon-Magnificent-American/p...

Also this quote is completely out of context:

"But the final word goes to Eisenhower, who once vetoed Apollo. He reminded Americans that "every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed".

This was in reference to the war machine, not our civilian space program and its disingenuous to apply it to NASA.

Lastly, yes the US could have beat sputnik. Recent declassified memos which seem to be authentic have revealed this possibility. Von Braun had a 4-stage Jupiter-C in 1956. It had the capabilities to launch a satellite into orbit. Apparantly, the 4th stage was left ignored due to political concerns of setting off a arms race, or even a war, with the USSR if a US satellite flew over its country every 90 minutes or so.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gerald-bracey/beating-the-russ...

[euyyn]

> Recent declassified memos which seem to be authentic have revealed this possibility. Von Braun had a 4-stage Jupiter-C in 1956. It had the capabilities to launch a satellite into orbit. Apparantly, the 4th stage was left ignored due to political concerns of setting off a arms race, or even a war, with the USSR if a US satellite flew over its country every 90 minutes or so.

Do we have access to the USSR's declassified materials regarding Sputnik? Can't really assume they launched as soon as they could, given that there existed arguments to hold it.