>as the Americans trusted "theirs"

Americans didn't trust either. But then Sputnik happened and Americans only had oopsnik[0], so they turned to neglected Redstone made by von Braun[1][2]

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanguard_TV-3#Reaction

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explorer_1

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernher_von_Braun#U.S._Army_ca...