Tldr: MW’s summary, in order from newest term to oldest:
Jerry-built means “built cheaply and unsubstantially.” Jerry-rigged means “organized or constructed in a crude or improvised manner.” Jury-rigged means “constructed or arranged in a makeshift fashion.”
Yeah basically during the start WW2 the allies largely used fuel bladders, then after awhile allied forces started to steal German fuel cans since they were objectively better than anything the allies and for that purpose. The name Jerry can just kinda stuck.
Side question: why do they call it a “Jerry” can?
Edit: looked it up. It’s a ww2 British slur for Germans
Edit 2: wondered about “Jerry-Rigged” https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/jerry-built-vs-jury-rigged-vs-jerry-rigged-usage-history
Tldr: MW’s summary, in order from newest term to oldest:
Yeah basically during the start WW2 the allies largely used fuel bladders, then after awhile allied forces started to steal German fuel cans since they were objectively better than anything the allies and for that purpose. The name Jerry can just kinda stuck.