WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

Soviet Moon Landing Broadcasted Live

1. 1969-07-04HIGHDIRECT EFFECTcultural
   Soviet Moon Landing Broadcasted Live

   The Soviet Union broadcasts the live landing and return of Alexei Leonov on the Moon, with detailed commentary from cosmonauts and scientists. The broadcast captivates global audiences, particularly in the West, where it is widely covered by major news networks.

2. because
   1969-07-03HIGHDIRECT EFFECTtech
   DIVERGENCE: N1 launch succeeds — Leonov lands on the Moon

   The second N1 launch on July 3, 1969 succeeds instead of exploding. The USSR mounts a crash crewed mission: Alexei Leonov lands on the Moon in the L3 lander in early July 1969, weeks before Apollo 11's scheduled July 16 launch, and returns safely.