Ware, Pat Jeep militaires depuis 1940

Willys MB, Ford GPW et Hotchkiss M201

Despite its frequent association with the American company Willys-Overland, the Jeep was actually developed in 1940 by a team from the American company Bantam, commissioned by the US Quartermaster Corps. Due to strong political opposition, Bantam lost the contract to Willys-Overland and Ford, who ultimately produced around 640,000 units of what is arguably the world's most famous vehicle. Hotchkiss manufactured another 28,000 Jeeps in France after the war. During World War II, the Jeep served all the Allied armies. Partially submersible Jeeps landed in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany on D-Day. Under the extreme conditions of the Eastern Front, they proved their capabilities and earned the admiration of the Red Army. After the war, thousands of Jeeps were distributed to the armies of the liberated European countries. Others were restored and are now sought-after collector's items. In the 1970s, restored Jeeps appeared in numerous films, helping to highlight the importance of the Jeep's historical role in the Allied victory.