Prior to the entry of the United States in the war after the attack
on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Army had only a few tanks.
During the Louisiana Maneuvers in September 1941, it used
trucks with the word "tank" painted on their side.
The Light Tank M2 series was the most important
pre-war US tank. These light tanks were mechanically very reliable, with good
mobility. However, they had a high silhouette and poor armor. Only a few saw
combat, on Guadalcanal. Their importance lies in the fact
that they formed the basis for the much more successful Light Tank M3 series beginning in 1941. The
Stuart was an improvement of the M2, with heavier armor and a 37 mm gun. From
the M3A1 version, this gun was gyrostabilized.[4]
The new medium tank just entering production in 1940 was the M2 series. This
was a poor design with thin armour, a high silhouette, a 37 mm main gun and
seven machine guns.
From 1940, new tank designs were prepared. The Battle of France had shown the importance of
medium tanks.[citation needed] The
British Army sought to have the US manufacture British designs, but the US
refused, offering instead to share the output of US factories building US
designs. The United States Army had a requirement for a medium tank with a 75 mm
gun, and developed the M3 Medium Tank as an interim design. The M3
medium was intended to quickly get a 75mm gun into the field, pending the design
of a tank with a 75mm gun in a fully rotating turret. The British immediately
ordered the M3 for their own use with modifications to their requirements.[5]
By February 1942, American civilian automobile factories only made weapons
and military vehicles.[6]
Automobile manufacturers such as General Motors and Chrysler used their experience with mass production to quickly build tanks. The
country manufactured as many tanks in the first half of 1942 than in all of
1941, with 1,500 in May 1942 alone.[7]
American production equipped not only its forces, but through Lend Lease also supplied all the tank needs of
the free French (after 1942) and Chinese. By 1944 most British units were also
equipped with US-built tanks. Finally, the US supplied over 8,000 tanks to the
USSR, half of them the M4 Sherman. Similarly to the Soviet Union, the United
States selected a few good basic designs and standardized on those models. Given
the lack of tank design and production experience, it is remarkable that the
United States designs were as good as they were.
on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, the Army had only a few tanks.
During the Louisiana Maneuvers in September 1941, it used
trucks with the word "tank" painted on their side.
The Light Tank M2 series was the most important
pre-war US tank. These light tanks were mechanically very reliable, with good
mobility. However, they had a high silhouette and poor armor. Only a few saw
combat, on Guadalcanal. Their importance lies in the fact
that they formed the basis for the much more successful Light Tank M3 series beginning in 1941. The
Stuart was an improvement of the M2, with heavier armor and a 37 mm gun. From
the M3A1 version, this gun was gyrostabilized.[4]
The new medium tank just entering production in 1940 was the M2 series. This
was a poor design with thin armour, a high silhouette, a 37 mm main gun and
seven machine guns.
From 1940, new tank designs were prepared. The Battle of France had shown the importance of
medium tanks.[citation needed] The
British Army sought to have the US manufacture British designs, but the US
refused, offering instead to share the output of US factories building US
designs. The United States Army had a requirement for a medium tank with a 75 mm
gun, and developed the M3 Medium Tank as an interim design. The M3
medium was intended to quickly get a 75mm gun into the field, pending the design
of a tank with a 75mm gun in a fully rotating turret. The British immediately
ordered the M3 for their own use with modifications to their requirements.[5]
By February 1942, American civilian automobile factories only made weapons
and military vehicles.[6]
Automobile manufacturers such as General Motors and Chrysler used their experience with mass production to quickly build tanks. The
country manufactured as many tanks in the first half of 1942 than in all of
1941, with 1,500 in May 1942 alone.[7]
American production equipped not only its forces, but through Lend Lease also supplied all the tank needs of
the free French (after 1942) and Chinese. By 1944 most British units were also
equipped with US-built tanks. Finally, the US supplied over 8,000 tanks to the
USSR, half of them the M4 Sherman. Similarly to the Soviet Union, the United
States selected a few good basic designs and standardized on those models. Given
the lack of tank design and production experience, it is remarkable that the
United States designs were as good as they were.