In many nations the highest military ranks are classed as being equivalent to or officially described as five-star ranks. However, a number of nations have used or proposed ranks such as generalissimo which are senior to their five-star equivalent ranks. This article summarises those ranks.
Contents |
Adopted from Italian (generalissimo) or Latin (generalissimus), the rank titles literally mean the utmost general. A number of countries, including China, France, Russia, Venezuela, Brazil, Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Sweden and the USSR, have used these ranks. In most countries the rank has only been held by one or two men throughout history.
The rank of generalissimus of the Soviet Union was created on June 27, 1945 and granted to Joseph Stalin, who never actually wore the insignia. He was the only person ever to hold the rank.[1][2]
In 1940 Nazi Germany, Hermann Göring was promoted by Adolf Hitler to reichsmarschall, the highest rank in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II after the position of supreme commander, (which was held by Hitler himself). Göring was the only person to hold this rank in modern times.
The rank of reichsmarschall was originally created before the 12th century, during the time of the Holy Roman Empire. Historically, holding the rank of reichsmarschall was neither unique nor as prestigious as it was during World War II. During the time of the German Empire and World War I, no one in the German armed forces held this rank.
The Italian rank of "first marshal of the empire" was granted in 1938 to Benito Mussolini and King Victor Emmanuel III, who remain the only holders as the rank was abolished after World War II.[3]
The Japanese rank of dai-gensui ("grand marshal") was held by the commander-in-chief of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1852 to 1945, and abolished in 1947. It was held by three people: Emperor Meiji, Emperor Taishō, and finally Emperor Shōwa.[4]
The rank of wonsu is used in both North Korea and South Korea.
In South Korea it is considered a five-star rank, and uses an insignia based on the five-star insignia of general of the army.[5][6]
North Korea also maintains a rank of chasu, senior to the four-star rank of daejang but junior to wonsu. Its insignia is a large single star, based on the insignia of marshal of the Soviet Union which is itself based on the marshal's star. North Koreans awarded the rank of wonsu have included Kim Jong-il (1992), O Jin U (1992), Choe Kwang (1995) and Li Ul-sol (1995).
North Korea also has a rank of dae wonsu, superior to wonsu. Its insignia is based on the North Korean wonsu insignia but with an added crest. The rank was created in 1992 when it was awarded to Kim Il-sung, who remains the only holder.[7]
George Dewey was promoted to the U.S. rank of admiral of the navy on March 24, 1903, retroactive to March 2, 1899. In 1944 the Navy Department declared the newly created five-star rank of fleet admiral to be junior to George Dewey's rank.
During the preparations for the invasion of Japan, a proposal was raised by the Navy Department to appoint Chester Nimitz to the rank of admiral of the navy, or grant him some equivalent rank.[8] The proposal, however, was dropped after the Japanese surrender, and the United States Navy has never officially appointed anyone to the rank of six-star admiral. Even so, admiral of the navy is considered to be senior to the U.S. rank of fleet admiral and the equivalent of the U.S. Army's rank of general of the armies.
The U.S. rank of general of the armies was first created in 1799, but not awarded.
John Pershing was promoted to general of the armies in 1919, from what was then the highest rank, the four-star rank of general. Under the regulations of the time he was permitted to choose his insignia, and he chose four gold stars, in contrast to the silver stars used by U.S. general and admiral rank insignia. General Pershing was still alive in 1944 when the five-star rank of general of the army was created. It was explicitly stated that he remained senior to the new five-star appointments.
In 1945, in preparation for the invasion of Japan, it was proposed that General Douglas MacArthur be promoted to general of the armies, and that this would explicitly be a six-star rank. However, this and subsequent proposals were never adopted. The Institute of Heraldry produced a single sketch of how the insignia for a six-star rank would appear, which was later filed in Douglas MacArthur's service record.[9]
In 1976, as part of the American Bicentennial celebrations, George Washington was posthumously promoted to general of the armies of the United States, senior to all other officers.[10]
The rank of general of the army of the United States held the same authority as the rank of general of the armies as created in 1799.[11]
It was held by Ulysses S. Grant,[11] William T. Sherman,[11] and Philip Sheridan[11] after the American Civil War.[11] Pershing's 1919 rank of general of the armies of the United States was legally the same as Grant's 1866 rank of general of the army of the United States.[11]
The rank ceased to exist with the death of Sheridan in 1888.
