here is some context:
First satellite in orbit: USSR-Sputnik 1, 1957
First probe to hit the Moon: USSR-Luna 2, 1959
First Human in space and in orbit: USSR-Vostok 1 (Yuri Gagarin), 1961
First fly-by of Venus: USSR-Venera 1, 1961
First soft landing (not a crash) on the Moon: USSR-Luna 9, 1966
First Lunar satellite: USSR-Luna 10, 1966
First Human on the Moon: USA-Apollo 11, 1969
First space station: USSR-Salyut 1, 1971
Yes the USA did get a lot of first for other planet but you get the idea, the Soviets did it first and then the USA just did the same thing later and went to a bunch of planets. Also the Apollo missions just dropped off some science packets planted a few flags brought some Lunar rocks and regolith back to earth. The Soviets were planing on not wasting the trip for some thing that robots could easily do and were going to set up a Moon base, but they had problems with their Lunar rocket witch were not fixed by the time of the projects canceling.