Figure 1.--Here we see an M3A1 Stuart saw success in the Pacific, but was totally inadequate against the German Panzers. Acciding to one American tanker, "Popcorn balls thrown by Little Bo Peep would have been just as effective." The Stuart in Europe was relegated to the role of reconnaissance and flank security. This photograph is inidentified, but looks like it was taken in Italy (Spring 1944). We are not sure what Stuart variant this was, but it was clearly one of the M3A1 upgrades. Notice the still small 37 mm short-barreled gun.

The U.S. Army began development of a light tank (late-1920s). They moved through a seies of protypes with gradually increased both armor and fire power. Productrion of the M-3 Stuat began (July 1940). America was not yet at war, bnut it shipped Stuarts to Britain under the Lend-Lease Act passed by Congress (March 1941). The Stuarts thuis first saw action with the British forces in North Africa (November 1941). The British assessment was that the Stuart was under-gunned, but they were pleased with its mechanical reliability and nicknamed it 'Honey'. The M-3 Stuart was comparable to the German Mark II Panzers that had pushed into Czechoslovakia and Poland (1939). It was obsolete compared to the advances occuring in armored vehicles in Europe. German and Soviet tanks began fighting it out on the Eastern Front (June 1941) and huge advances in armor occurred as a result of this horific crucible. Several upgrades were made to the M3 Stuart, but it was relegted for training purposes by the time America entered the War, although a handfull saw action in the Philipines when the Japanese invaded (December 1941). Upgrades resulted in the M3A1 which appeared (May 1942). The M3A1 first saw use on Guadalcanl (August 1942) and North Africa as part of Operation Torch (November 1942). Some 50 were used on Guadalcanal. The under-powered gun was not ideal, but it still proved useful in jungel terraine beginning at Aligtor Creek. It was all the Americans had in Morocco to use aginst Vichy forces. (The initial run of Shemans had been shipped to the British Eigth Army.) Aginst the upgraded armor of German Panzers it was useless. One American tanker complained, "Popcorn balls thrown by Little Bo Peep would have been just as effective." After the Battle of Kasserine Pass (February 1943), the Stuart was no longer considerd a battle tank in Europe. It was relegated to the role of reconnaissance and flank security. The Stuarts continued to be utilized in Europe through the end of the war in yhosde roles, but its battle history was primarily in the Pacific. In th hungleds of New Guinea and the Solomons, the Stuart served an important role for infantry support. While its fire power was a limittion, the small Stuart proved more practical for jungle warfare than the much larger and heavier Sherman. It was replced by the more powerful Sherman (late-1943). By this time the fighting had lrgely moved from the South Pacific jungles to the islands of the Central Pacific. Notice the M-3 designation was used for both the Stuart and Grant. This was because the uugraded Stuart, Grant, and Shermans were all medium tanks.

Created: 3:50 PM 7/2/2017
Last updated: 3:03 PM 8/11/2017