Comparative military ranks of World War II/temp1

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PARENT ARTICLE: Comparative military 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.

Major participants not shown:

• China (on side of Allies)
• Free French (Allied force after fall of France)

KEY:

Navy

Army

Air Force^[1]

Waffen-SS/Allgemeine-SS^[2]

Generic army ranks not specific to any service

Appr. NATO code
	British Commonwealth	United States	Soviet Union[3]	Poland[4]	Greece[5]	German Third Reich	Italy	Empire of Japan
-	-	-	Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за (Generalissimo of the Soviet Union)[6]	-	-	-	-
OF-10	-	Admiral of the Navy[7] General of the Armies	Ма́ршал Сове́тского Сою́за (Marshal of the Soviet Union)	Marszałek Polski[8]	-	Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches[9]	Primo Maresciallo dell'Impero	-
	Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the RAF[10]	Fleet Admiral General of the Army	Главный маршал (Chief Marshal)[11]	-	Αρχιναύαρχος (Archinaúarchos) Αρχιστράτηγος (Archistrátegos)	Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall Reichsführer-SS	Grand'Ammiraglio Maresciallo	Gensui[12]
			Адмирал флота (Admiral of the Fleet)[13] Генерал армии (General of the Army) Маршал (Marshal)
OF-9	Admiral General Air Chief Marshal	Admiral General	Адмира́л (Admiral) Генера́л-полко́вник (General-Colonel)	Admirał Generał broni	Ναύαρχος (Naúarchos) Στρατηγός (Strategós) Πτέραρχος (Ptérarchos)	Generaladmiral Generaloberst Oberstgruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Armata Generale d'Armata	Taishō
						Admiral General [14] Obergruppenführer
OF-8	Vice-Admiral Lieutenant-General Air Marshal	Vice Admiral Lieutenant General	Ви́це-адмира́л (Vice-Admiral) Генера́л-лейтена́нт (General-Lieutenant)	Wiceadmirał Generał dywizji	Αντιναύαρχος (Antinaúarchos) Αντιστράτηγος (Antistrátegos) Αντιπτέραρχος (Antiptérarchos)	Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant Gruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Squadra Generale di Corpo d'Armata	Chūjū
OF-7	Rear-Admiral Major-General Air Vice-Marshal	Rear Admiral Major General	Ко́нтр-адмира́л (Counter-Admiral) Генера́л-майо́р (General-Major)	Kontradmirał Generał brygady	Υποναύαρχος (Hyponaúarchos) Υποστράτηγος (Hypostrátegos) Υποπτέραρχος (Hypoptérarchos)	Konteradmiral Generalmajor Brigadeführer	Contrammiraglio Generale di Divisione	Shōshō
OF-6	Commodore[15] Brigadier Air Commodore	Commodore[16] Brigadier General	-	Komandor	Ταξίαρχος Αεροπορίας (Taxíarchos Aeroporías)	Kommodore[17] Oberführer	Generale di Brigata	-
OF-5	Captain Colonel Group Captain	Captain Colonel	Капита́н 1-го ра́нга (Captain 1st rank) Полко́вник (Polkovnik)	Komandor porucznik Pułkownik	Πλοίαρχος (Ploíarchos) Συνταγματάρχης (Syntagmatárches) Σμήναρχος (Sménarchos)	Kapitän zur See Oberst Standartenführer	Capitano di Vascello Colonnello	Daisa Taisa
OF-4	Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Wing Commander	Commander Lieutenant Colonel	Капита́н 2-го ра́нга (Captain 2nd rank) Подполко́вник (Podpolkovnik)	Komandor podporucznik Podpułkownik	Αντιπλοίαρχος (Antiploíarchos) Αντισυνταγματάρχης (Antisyntagmatárches) Αντισμήναρχος (Antisménarchos)	Fregattenkapitän Oberstleutnant Obersturmbannführer	Capitano di Fregata Tenente Colonnello	Chūsa
OF-3	Lieutenant-Commander Major Squadron Leader	Lieutenant Commander Major	Капита́н 3-го ра́нга (Captain 3rd rank) Майо́р (Major)	Kapitan marynarki Major	Πλωτάρχης (Plotárches) Ταγματάρχης (Tagmatárches) Επισμηναγός (Epismenagós)	Korvettenkapitän Major Sturmbannführer	Capitano di Corvetta Maggiore	Shōsa
OF-2	Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant	Lieutenant Captain	Капита́н-лейтена́нт (Captain-Lieutenant) Капита́н (Captain)	Porucznik marynarki Kapitan[18]	Υποπλοίαρχος (Hypoploíarchos) Λοχαγός (Lochagós) Σμηναγός (Smenagós)	Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann [19] Hauptsturmführer	Primo Capitano	Daii Taii
							Tenente di Vascello Capitano
OF-1	Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer	Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant	Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Senior Lieutenant) Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Senior Lieutenant)	Podporucznik marynarki Porucznik	Ανθυποπλοίαρχος (Anthypoploíarchos) Υπολοχαγός (Hypolochagós) Υποσμηναγός (Hyposmenagós)	Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant Obersturmführer	Sottotenente di Vascello Primo Tenente[20]	Chūi
	Commissioned Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant Pilot Officer	Ensign Second Lieutenant	Лейтена́нт (Lieutenant) Лейтена́нт (Lieutenant)	Chorąży marynarki Podporucznik	Σημαιοφόρος (Semaiophóros) Ανθυπολοχαγός (Anthypolochagós) Ανθυποσμηναγός (Anthyposmenagós)	Leutnant zur See Leutnant Untersturmführer	Guardiamarina Tenente	Shōi
			Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Junior Lieutenant) Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Junior Lieutenant)	Chorąży			Sottotenente

[edit] Notes

1. ^  Air Force ranks equal to generic Army ranks are not shown.
2. ^  Generals in the Waffen-SS also held the army equivalent rank (e.g. SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS).
3. ^  Included ranks on WW2 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. ^  From June 27, 1945. Stalin appointed this rank by Supreme Council after victory over Germany.
7. ^  See Admiral of the Navy and General of the Armies articles.
8. ^  See the article on Marszałek Polski
9. ^  Created by Hitler on June 29, 1941, especially for Hermann Göring, his formal successor.
10. ^  For example, King George VI was "Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force" during 1939-45.
11. ^  From 1943 there were introduced Marshals and Chief marshals of specific arm. Also the most of ranks were divided according specific service (Artillery, Armored Forces, Engineering Service, Air Force etc)
12. ^  Introduced in 1940. From May 1945 became equal to Marshal of the Soviet Union [21]
13. ^  Gensui, although usually translated as Field Marshal/Grand Admiral, was actually an honorary title conferred by the Emperor and not a rank as such.
14. ^  Full Generals in the army generally held the rank of their service branch, such as "General der Infanterie" or "General der Artillerie".
15. ^  Actually a Captain acting in an admiral's capacity.
16. ^  Rank reintroduced in 1943.
17. ^  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.
18. ^  Traditionally captains of Polish cavalry held the rank of rotmistrz, a direct equivalent of the rank of kapitan in other branches of the military.
19. ^  Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps were called Rittmeister.
20. ^  "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.

[edit] See also

• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• Comparative military ranks
• Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel