The Germans have always had the drive, discipline, and smarts to be the best. I can only think of the U.S. as the only other nation that matches (or used to) their national attitude. Many of our best businessmen in the late 19th century were German immigrants (legal).
If they just didn’t blow it on stupid militarism over the past 100 years, you might have seen a German on the moon in 1959.
This explains a bit of it:
BBC Make Me a German
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bTKSin4JN4
You might want to add Japan to that list.
As a consolidation prize it was a German who got the Yanks on the moon. :)
‘BBC Make Me a German’
I watched the video and learned a lot about myself and my family. I am of German descent on my father’s side. I am very efficient in the way I work, I plan my work and work my plan and when I work for someone I work as if I own the place. In the past I have worked in a family business and have owned a couple of small ones.
On my mother’s side I am what is called ‘the old mountain people’, we were here before Daniel Boone found the trail. Her side is more into hunting, fishing, and general hell raising. Moonshining, running gambling halls, a little illegal stuff runs in the family. No drug dealing, at least that I know of.
Imagine the constant battle in my head, 1/2 of me is a risk taker and hellraiser and loner, the other is a methodical, community minded, team player. It aint easy being me. But it is entertaining since I never know from day to day which side will exert control.