What candy was first created for the US Military?

The candy most often credited with being created for the US Military is M&Ms.

While not technically invented by the military, the idea for M&Ms came from a visit by Forrest Mars Sr. to Spain during the Spanish Civil War. He saw soldiers eating chocolate candies coated in sugar to prevent them from melting in the heat. This inspired him to create a similar candy for American soldiers during World War II.

Here's the story in a nutshell:

* 1941: Mars introduced the chocolate candies coated in hard sugar shells to the US Army, but the product was initially named "M&M's Plain Chocolate Candies."

* The name "M&M's" comes from the initials of the founders: Forrest Mars Sr. and Bruce Murrie.**

* During World War II, the candy was a huge success among soldiers, becoming a popular morale booster.

* After the war, M&Ms were marketed to the general public, and their popularity skyrocketed.

So while the military didn't invent M&Ms, they certainly played a key role in their development and popularization.