Comparative officer ranks of World War II

The following table shows comparative officer ranks of major Allied and Axis powers during World War II. For modern ranks refer to Comparative military ranks.

KEY:

Navy

Army

Air Force^[1]

Waffen-SS/Allgemeine SS

Generic ranks not specific to any service

Appr. NATO code
	British Commonwealth[2]	United States	Soviet Union[3]	Republic of China	Poland[4]	Greece[5]	Germany	Italy	Finland	Japan	Free French	Yugoslav Partisans[6]
-	-	-	Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за (Generalissimus of the Soviet Union)[7]	特級上將 T'e-chi Shang-chiang (General Special Class) [8]	-	-	-	Primo Maresciallo dell'Impero[9]	-	Dai-Gensui[10]	-	-
-	-	Admiral of the Navy[11] General of the Armies	Ма́ршал Сове́тского Сою́за (Marshal of the Soviet Union)	-	Marszałek Polski [12]	-	Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches {"ReichMarshall of the Greater German Reich"}[13] Reichsführer-SS[14]	-	Suomen marsalkka[15]	-	Maréchal de France[16] Amiral de France[17]	Maršal Jugoslavije (Маршал Југославије)[18]
OF-10	Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the Royal Air Force[19]	Fleet Admiral General of the Army	Главный маршал (Chief Marshal)[20]	一級上將 I-chi Shang-chiang (General 1st Class)	-	Αρχιναύαρχος (Admiral of the Fleet)[21] Στρατάρχης (Field Marshal)[21]	Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall	Grand'Ammiraglio Maresciallo d'Italia Maresciallo dell'Aria	Sotamarsalkka	Gensui[22]	Amiral de la flotte	General armije (Генерал армије)
			Адмирал флота (Admiral of the Fleet)[23] Генерал армии (General of the Army) Маршал (Marshal)
OF-9	Admiral General Air Chief Marshal	Admiral General	Адмира́л (Admiral) Генера́л-полко́вник (General-Colonel)	二級上將 Ehr-chi Shang-chiang (General 2nd Class)	Admirał Generał broni	Ναύαρχος (Admiral)[24] Στρατηγός (General)[24] Πτέραρχος (Air Chief Marshal)[24]	Generaladmiral Generaloberst Oberstgruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Armata Generale d'Armata	Amiraali Kenraali	Taishō	Général d'armée Amiral Général d'armée aérienne	General-pukovnik (Генерал-пуковник)
OF-8	Vice-Admiral Lieutenant-General Air Marshal	Vice Admiral Lieutenant General	Ви́це-адмира́л (Vice-Admiral) Генера́л-лейтена́нт (General-Lieutenant)	中將 Chung-chiang (Lieut.-General)	Wiceadmirał Generał dywizji	Αντιναύαρχος (Vice-Admiral) Αντιστράτηγος (Lieutenant General) Αντιπτέραρχος (Air Marshal)	Admiral General[25] Obergruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Squadra Generale di Corpo d'Armata	Vara-amiraali Kenraaliluutnantti	Chūjō	Général de corps d'armée Vice-amiral d'escadre Général de corps d'armée aérienne	General-lajtnant (Генерал-лајтнант)
											Vice-amiral
OF-7	Rear-Admiral Major-General Air Vice-Marshal	Rear Admiral Major General	Ко́нтр-адмира́л (Counter-Admiral) Генера́л-майо́р (General-Major)	少將 Shao-chiang (Major-General)	Kontradmirał Generał brygady	Υποναύαρχος (Rear Admiral) Υποστράτηγος (Major General) Υποπτέραρχος (Air Vice-Marshal)	Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant Gruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Divisione Generale di Divisione	Kontra-amiraali Kenraalimajuri	Shōshō	Général de division Contre-amiral Général de division aérienne	General-major (Генерал-мајор)
OF-6	Commodore[26] Brigadier[27] Air Commodore	Commodore[28] Brigadier General	-	-	-	Αρχιπλοίαρχος (Commodore) Ταξίαρχος (Brigadier) Ταξίαρχος Αεροπορίας (Air Commodore)	Konteradmiral Generalmajor Brigadeführer	Contrammiraglio Generale di Brigata	-	-	Général de brigade capitaine de vaisseau chef de division[29] Général de brigade aérienne	-
							Kommodore[30] Oberführer
OF-5	Captain Colonel Group Captain	Captain Colonel	Капита́н 1-го ра́нга (Captain 1st rank) Полко́вник (Polkovnik)	上校 Shang-hsiao (Colonel)	Komandor Pułkownik	Πλοίαρχος (Captain) Συνταγματάρχης (Colonel) Σμήναρχος (Group Captain)	Kapitän zur See Oberst Standartenführer	Capitano di Vascello Colonnello	Kommodori Eversti	Taisa	Colonel capitaine de vaisseau Colonel	Pukovnik (Пуковник)
OF-4	Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Wing Commander	Commander Lieutenant Colonel	Капита́н 2-го ра́нга (Captain 2nd rank) Подполко́вник (Podpolkovnik)	中校 Chung-hsiao (Lieutenant-Colonel)	Komandor porucznik Podpułkownik	Αντιπλοίαρχος (Commander) Αντισυνταγματάρχης (Lieutenant Colonel) Αντισμήναρχος (Wing Commander)	Fregattenkapitän Oberstleutnant Obersturmbannführer	Capitano di Fregata Tenente Colonnello	Komentaja Everstiluutnantti	Chūsa	Lieutenant-colonel capitaine de frégate Lieutenant-colonel	Potpukovnik (Потпуковник)
OF-3	Lieutenant-Commander Major Squadron Leader	Lieutenant Commander Major	Капита́н 3-го ра́нга (Captain 3rd rank) Майо́р (Major)	少校 Shao-hsiao (Major)	Komandor podporucznik Major	Πλωτάρχης (Lieutenant Commander) Ταγματάρχης (Major) Επισμηναγός (Squadron Leader)	Korvettenkapitän Major Sturmbannführer	Capitano di Corvetta Maggiore	Komentajakapteeni Majuri	Shōsa	Commandant capitaine de corvette Commandant	Major (Maјор)
OF-2	Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant	Lieutenant Captain	Капита́н-лейтена́нт (Captain-Lieutenant) Капита́н (Captain)	上尉 Shang-wei (Captain)	Kapitan marynarki Kapitan[31]	Υποπλοίαρχος (Lieutenant) Λοχαγός (Captain) Σμηναγός (Flight Lieutenant)	Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann[32] Hauptsturmführer	Primo Capitano	Kapteeniluutnantti Kapteeni	Taii	Capitaine Lieutenant de vaisseau Capitaine	Kapetan (Капетaн)
								Tenente di Vascello Capitano
OF-1	Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer	Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant	Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Senior Lieutenant) Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Senior Lieutenant)	中尉 Chung-wei (Lieutenant)	Porucznik marynarki Porucznik	Ανθυποπλοίαρχος (Sub-Lieutenant) Υπολοχαγός (Lieutenant) Υποσμηναγός (Flying Officer)	Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant Obersturmführer	Sottotenente di Vascello Primo Tenente[33]	Luutnantti	Chūi	Lieutenant Enseigne de vaisseau de 1re classe Lieutenant	Poručnik (Пοручник)
	Commissioned Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant Pilot Officer	Ensign Second Lieutenant	Лейтена́нт (Lieutenant) Лейтена́нт (Lieutenant)	少尉 Shao-wei (2nd Lieutenant)	Podporucznik marynarki Podporucznik	Σημαιοφόρος (Ensign) Ανθυπολοχαγός (Second Lieutenant) Ανθυποσμηναγός (Pilot Officer)	Leutnant zur See Leutnant Untersturmführer	Guardiamarina Tenente	Aliluutnantti Vänrikki	Shōi	Sous-lieutenant Enseigne de vaisseau de 2nde classe Sous-lieutenant	Potporučnik (Потпоручник)
			Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Junior Lieutenant) Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Junior Lieutenant)	准尉 Chun-wei (Warrant Officer)	Chorąży marynarki Chorąży			Sottotenente			Aspirant

See also

• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• List of comparative military ranks
• United States Army enlisted rank insignia of World War II
• Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel

Notes

1. ^ Air Force ranks equal to generic Army ranks are not shown.
2. ^ The name "British Commonwealth" came into official use in 1926, in place of "British Empire".
3. ^ Included ranks on WWII period only.
4. ^ In Polish military tradition the Polish Air Forces form a separate branch of the Polish Army, though the military ranks were exactly the same as in the case of land forces. Sometimes the word pilot was added to distinguish Air officers from the officers of the land forces (cf. podporucznik pilot as opposed to podporucznik). Historically due to absence of full general rank (which was introduced later), Polish General ranks were shifted one position up compared to similar-sounding ranks in other countries.
5. ^ There is no standard method of transliterating Greek. In this article, traditional Erasmic transliterations are used and do not represent the rank's name's actual pronunciation. See Greek alphabet.
6. ^ All military ranks shown here date from 1943-46; the Partisans used positional ranks (similar to that used by the Red Army during the Russian Civil War) from their inception in 1941 to 1943, with minor changes.
7. ^ From June 27, 1945. Stalin appointed this rank by Supreme Council after victory over Germany.
8. ^ Rank held by the Chinese Leader Chiang Kai-shek.
9. ^ Highest possible military rank of Italy, created in 1938 and held solely and at the same time by King Victor Emmanuel III and Benito Mussolini
10. ^ Highest possible military rank of Japan, held solely by the Emperor of Japan
11. ^ Admiral of the Navy and General of the Armies while not in active service had retroactively become the "six star" ranks within the forces of the U.S. A proposal to elevate Nimitz and MacArthur to these ranks for the invasion of Japan was made but not acted upon prior to Japan's surrender.
12. ^ See the article on Marszałek Polski
13. ^ Essentially a "vanity rank" created by Hitler on June 29, 1941, for Hermann Göring. Hitler himself held the title of Führer, which was a political and party title, englobing the supreme command of the armed forces; however Führer wasn't, strictly speaking, a military rank, and Hitler never promoted himself from the rank of Gefreiter he had earned during World War I
14. ^ On paper Himmler's rank was equivalent to Generalfeldmarschall; in practice he was at least Göring's equal.
15. ^ Marshal of Finland, an honorary title given to Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim on his 75th birthday in 1942.
16. ^ Not a rank, but a dignity of the State.
17. ^ Not a rank, but a dignity of the State. No Amiral de France was alive during the war.
18. ^ Rank held only by Tito; conferred to him by the AVNOJ on November 29, 1943 at Jajce.
19. ^ For example, King George VI was "Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force" during 1939-45.
20. ^ Marshals and Chief marshals of a specific arm of service (Artillery, Armored Forces, Engineering Service, Air Force etc), were introduced in 1943; though they both are equal to General of the Army, they maintained precedence over each other.
21. ^ ^{a b} Rank held only by King George II
22. ^ Gensui, although usually translated as Field Marshal/Grand Admiral, was actually an honorary title conferred by the Emperor and not a rank as such.
23. ^ Introduced in 1940 as an equivalent to General of the Army, but from May 1945 became equal to Marshal of the Soviet Union, with no intermediate rank in between. [1]
24. ^ ^{a b c} No officer was appointed to this rank during the war
25. ^ Generals of this rank in the German army and airforce generally held the rank of their service branch. In the Heer (army) these were "General der Infanterie" (infantry), "General der Artillerie" (artillery), "General der Kavallerie" (Cavalry), "General der Panzertruppe" (armoured troops), "General der Nachrichtentruppe" (line of communication troops), "General der Pionier" (pioneer troops) and "General der Gebirgstruppe" (mountain troops). In the Luftwaffe (air force) the ranks were "General der Flieger" (air force), "General der Fallschirmtruppe" (parachute troops) and "General der Flakartillerie" (anti-aircraft artillery).
26. ^ Actually a Captain acting in an admiral's capacity.
27. ^ Actually an appointment conferred on Colonels rather than a substantive rank
28. ^ Rank reintroduced in 1943.
29. ^ Actually a Captain acting in an admiral's capacity.
30. ^ Actually a Kapitän zur See (Captain) acting in an admiral's capacity. This was a rarely used rank. Best-known holder was Karl Dönitz, who from 28 January 1939 until 1 October 1939 was "Kapitän zur See und Kommodore" and Leader of U-Boats.
31. ^ Traditionally captains of Polish cavalry held the rank of rotmistrz, a direct equivalent of the rank of kapitan in other branches of the military.
32. ^ Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps were called Rittmeister.
33. ^ "Primo" ranks were a way for identifying long term or career officers. Primo Capitano and Primo Tenente were officers with 12 years seniority in the rank or a total of 20 years of commissioned service.