It made the United States work harder to be farther than the Soviet Union in the Space Race
They were not prioritized, they were put in the front lines kinda to act as a shild for the rest of the soldiers. America use to be messed up dood
The major physical feature that the pioneers crossing West had to contend with were the Rocky and Sierra Nevada Mountains.
These mountain ranges were treacherous and many died trying to find passages to cross.
For Italy, they were spies who collected top secret knowledge for the Allied Powers. They were U.S. soldiers who fought off the enemy successfully. They were British troops leaving their units to join the enemy.