The US Army had set up headquarters in France.
In September it decided to form its own tank corps with 25 tank battalions including five heavy tank battalions.
To equip the heavy units, Major James A. Drain – a staff officer to General Pershing and responsible for initial planning of the tank force – provisionally ordered 600 Mark VI tanks (then under development) from the British in October 1917.
The Army tried to convince the Department of War to divert all available tanks to the Army, leading to a conflict with the Navy (the first of many to come over this issue).
This posed serious problems for the British government.
It now seemed that American involvement in the war would mean a lesser number of tanks available for the British forces.
Also on 4 February 1917 binding agreements had been made with the French about tank production.
These had to be renegotiated.

Winston Churchill, the new Minister of Munitions, had just been forced to fire Stern as director of the Mechanical Supply Department (Controller of the Mechanical Warfare Department) because of his mistakes in handling the Mark IV project, leading to enormous production delays.
In pushing production through in the early days he had upset civil and military authorities.
Stern was appointed in September to the new position of "Commissioner for Mechanical Warfare (Overseas and Allies Branch)" in order to coordinate tank production with the US and France.
Stern went to France to meet the French Minister of Munitions, Louis Loucheur and the American commander-in-chief, John Pershing.
Loucheur made it clear from the beginning that France had nothing to offer in terms of existing production facilities.
This came as no surprise to Stern who had already prepared an "International Plan" of ten points (in fact a bilateral agreement between the US and Britain) that he now managed to get accepted by the Americans.
He submitted this to Churchill on the 11 November.
Its main points included (using the original terminology):
The incorporation of a partnership between the US and Great Britain for the production of 1,500 heavy tanks to be erected in France.

The supply of a number of these tanks to France to further the higher purpose of Allied unity, should she require them. (
Britain hoped France would produce its own Char 2C in sufficient numbers, Loucheur already knew this was unlikely to happen).

France might supply an erecting shop, if convenient; in any case it might be wiser to build a new one (so a completely new factory would have to be built in France).

A joint supply of components.
Britain would supply guns, ammunition, and armour; the USA engines, transmissions, forgings, and chains (employing US car industry).

The design would be based on British experience and American ideas and resources, and eliminate most of the faults in current tanks in power, loading, and trench crossing.

Major Alden would collaborate to finish the working drawings before Christmas enjoying full cooperation of the British; the design was to be approved by both nations.

Unskilled labour might be provided by imported Chinese; the French government ensured their local accommodation.

Production would begin in April 1918 and finally reach 300 a month (so the number of 1,500 was only preliminary).

The project would have high priority in regards raw materials, labour, factories, and transport.

Management would be in the hands of two Commissioners, one British (Stern himself) and one American; but the French could appoint their own if their interests were concerned.

The plan already contained a specification: the tank should have a 300 hp (220 kW) engine, weigh 38.8 tons (39.5 tonnes) and have a trench crossing capacity of 14 feet (4.3 m).
The 11 November briefing included the first use of the word "Liberty" for the tank which was taken from the engine chosen.

The first design conference took place on 4 December at GHQ in France and Churchill approved the plan soon afterwards.
It was made into a formal treaty signed by the British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour and the US Ambassador Walter Hines Pag
The US Army had set up headquarters in France. In September it decided to form its own tank corps with 25 tank battalions including five heavy tank battalions. To equip the heavy units, Major James A. Drain – a staff officer to General Pershing and responsible for initial planning of the tank force – provisionally ordered 600 Mark VI tanks (then under development) from the British in October 1917. The Army tried to convince the Department of War to divert all available tanks to the Army, leading to a conflict with the Navy (the first of many to come over this issue). This posed serious problems for the British government. It now seemed that American involvement in the war would mean a lesser number of tanks available for the British forces. Also on 4 February 1917 binding agreements had been made with the French about tank production. These had to be renegotiated.
Winston Churchill, the new Minister of Munitions, had just been forced to fire Stern as director of the Mechanical Supply Department (Controller of the Mechanical Warfare Department) because of his mistakes in handling the Mark IV project, leading to enormous production delays. In pushing production through in the early days he had upset civil and military authorities. Stern was appointed in September to the new position of "Commissioner for Mechanical Warfare (Overseas and Allies Branch)" in order to coordinate tank production with the US and France. Stern went to France to meet the French Minister of Munitions, Louis Loucheur and the American commander-in-chief, John Pershing. Loucheur made it clear from the beginning that France had nothing to offer in terms of existing production facilities. This came as no surprise to Stern who had already prepared an "International Plan" of ten points (in fact a bilateral agreement between the US and Britain) that he now managed to get accepted by the Americans. He submitted this to Churchill on the 11 November. Its main points included (using the original terminology):
The incorporation of a partnership between the US and Great Britain for the production of 1,500 heavy tanks to be erected in France.
The supply of a number of these tanks to France to further the higher purpose of Allied unity, should she require them. (Britain hoped France would produce its own Char 2C in sufficient numbers, Loucheur already knew this was unlikely to happen).
France might supply an erecting shop, if convenient; in any case it might be wiser to build a new one (so a completely new factory would have to be built in France).
A joint supply of components. Britain would supply guns, ammunition, and armour; the USA engines, transmissions, forgings, and chains (employing US car industry).
The design would be based on British experience and American ideas and resources, and eliminate most of the faults in current tanks in power, loading, and trench crossing.
Major Alden would collaborate to finish the working drawings before Christmas enjoying full cooperation of the British; the design was to be approved by both nations.
Unskilled labour might be provided by imported Chinese; the French government ensured their local accommodation.
Production would begin in April 1918 and finally reach 300 a month (so the number of 1,500 was only preliminary).
The project would have high priority in regards raw materials, labour, factories, and transport.
Management would be in the hands of two Commissioners, one British (Stern himself) and one American; but the French could appoint their own if their interests were concerned.
The plan already contained a specification: the tank should have a 300 hp (220 kW) engine, weigh 38.8 tons (39.5 tonnes) and have a trench crossing capacity of 14 feet (4.3 m). The 11 November briefing included the first use of the word "Liberty" for the tank which was taken from the engine chosen.
The first design conference took place on 4 December at GHQ in France and Churchill approved the plan soon afterwards. It was made into a formal treaty signed by the British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour and the US Ambassador Walter Hines Pag
Mark VIII tank