Complex sentence: They would not want spaceships and lunar bases-they would want missiles, missiles to wave like flags as they boast to the world that they are bigger and cleverer and more right than their former Russian allies.
Split into simpler sentences: They would not want spaceships and lunar bases-they would want missiles. Missiles to wave like flags as they boast to the world that they are bigger and cleverer and more right than their former Russian allies.