Guys, guys, calm down. What difference does it make at the moment. Most of the things you are talking about were invented by several people in different parts of the globe at the same time. The lucky ones who got into history books just managed to get more attention from press/were more interested or had better opportunities to patent their inventions.
Don't you think that in this particular instance bragging rights are irrelevant?
We can talk shit about american engineering screwups or talents later. For now, how about showing a bit of good old respect for the dead?
"People are stupid ... almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People's heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true ... they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so all are easier to fool." -- Wizard's First Rule
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