Immediately pre-war, the United States possessed a rather small and underpowered tank fleet made up almost exclusively of M2 Light Tanks as well as M2 Medium Tanks. These tanks were significantly ...

But the M3’s design was in fact based upon expediency. Entering World War II, the United States fielded only M2A4 and M3 Stuart light tanks and a few dozen M2 medium tank suitable only for training.