The NK-33 engines from 1960s and 70s Soviet Union were used by American space companies as late as 2014. These were just stuck and forgotten in a Russian warehouse. Doubtlessly other Soviet technology has also been lost and awaits rediscovery.
Not sure if that's a testament to innovation, or to the American tendency to throw things away.
American engines of the same vintage probably would have been used if they were available for a similar price.
It's not just about the price; these engines are still highly competitive fifty years after they were designed. That's quite a feat. They're also based around unique technology.
They also had great chemists and physicists. Many of them were awarded nobel prizes, so you can look it up.
The Russians had a head start in various materials sciences knowledge, notably metallurgy.
Soviet materials science was quite advanced. Mechanical engineering and weapons technology was also advanced.