4 4 ▁to ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁Several ▁squad rons ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁ 1 ère ▁Arm ée ▁were ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁the ▁M 2 ▁and ▁were ▁instrument al ▁in ▁the ▁capt uring ▁of ▁Toul on , ▁the ▁se cur ing ▁of ▁the ▁Rh ine , ▁the ▁ret aking ▁of ▁Col mar ▁and ▁Str as bourg ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁German ▁Black ▁Forest . ▁The ▁t anks ▁were ▁effective ▁on ▁sc out ing ▁and ▁mo pping - up ▁miss ions ▁ahead ▁of ▁the ▁main ▁forces . ▁As ▁front ▁line ▁elements ▁they ▁in cur red ▁significant ▁losses . ▁▁ ▁The ▁M 2 A 4 ▁light ▁tank ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁M 3 ▁Stuart ▁light ▁tank ▁and ▁the ▁M 4 ▁tra ctor ▁art illery ▁prime ▁m over . ▁The ▁M 3 ▁Stuart ▁saw ▁w ides p read ▁use ▁throughout ▁the ▁war . ▁ ▁Development ▁history ▁ ▁US ▁Army ▁inf antry ▁tank ▁design ▁started ▁with ▁the ▁light ▁tank , ▁T 1 ▁during ▁the ▁ 1 9 2 0 s , ▁which ▁developed ▁into ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁experimental ▁designs ▁which ▁did ▁not ▁enter ▁production . ▁The ▁T 2 ▁concept , ▁starting ▁five ▁years ▁later , ▁incorpor ated ▁several ▁design ▁less ons ▁from ▁the ▁T 1 , ▁but ▁used ▁a ▁new ▁susp ension ▁system ▁copied ▁from ▁the ▁British ▁V ick ers ▁six - ton ▁tank . ▁The ▁first ▁prototype ▁was ▁delivered ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 3 . ▁ ▁The ▁Def ense ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁had ▁defined ▁t anks ▁to ▁be