Years ago I read some book about W. von Braun. It seems to me that he wasn't so much a scientist rather than an exceptional salesman having a big dream while understanding science. He was able to sell his ideas to governments and then to people in effort to fund his rockets.

He started his rocket business making demos for people near Berlin. And seeing that this activity couldn't generate much funds he sell his ideas to german military, to be able to build bigger rockets. I remember that he secretly continued to develope a (moon)rocket even during war time and discovery of his non war effort activities was one reason in suspicion and later arrest by SS.

In that sense Goddard was more scientist than von Braun.

von Braun was a general decision maker, teamleader and visionaire what kind of path to choose in achieving result rather than developer of certain technologies and solver of scientific problems.

The USA did not turn over its rocketry program to Von Braun. They did give him facilities and launches but in the 1950's there were two groups of US scientists who were not associated with Von Braun that developed the missiles that launched satellites and eventually men into space.

That's an altogether new story that is just became public on a few years ago. Much of it was hidden in secret papers under Eisenhower's administration and took 50 years to be revealed.

In this century and decade we think of cruise missiles and unmanned drones but back in 1940's and 50's all missiles were ballistic and once launched were on a path that couldn't be changed. ANd Radar was primitive them, too.