Why was the first moon landing significant?

The first moon landing was a stupendous technical achievement, and probably remains to this day the most remarkable accomplishment of the human race. It is so difficult to travel to the moon and return safely to Earth that it is quite amazing that we were able to do it. Aside from that, the moon landing was significant in a number of other ways. Because the US was able to do this when the USSR wasn't, the moon landing became part of the international public relations competition between the western world and the Soviet bloc. The Soviet Union, which always claimed to be superior to the decadent capitalist west in every way, obviously wasn't. The moon landing was also inspiring to a generation of scientists, who went on to create much more technology which has transformed the world very profoundly, since the moon landing in 1969, and which has made it possible for you & I to have this discussion on the internet.