The following table shows comparative officer ranks of major Allied and Axis powers during World War II.
KEY:
- Navy
- Army
- Air Force
- Waffen-SS/Allgemeine SS
- Generic ranks not specific to any service
British Commonwealth | United States | Soviet Union | China | Poland | Greece | Germany | Italy | Finland | Japan | Free French | Yugoslav Partisans |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Generalissimus of the Soviet Union (created June 1945) | T'e-chi Shang-chiang (General Special Class) | Primo Maresciallo dell'Impero | Dai-Gensui | ||||||||
Admiral of the Navy General of the Armies |
Marshal of the Soviet Union | Marszałek Polski | Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches ("ReichMarshall of the Greater German Reich") |
Suomen marsalkka ("Marshal of Finland") |
Maréchal de France
|
Maršal Jugoslavije (Маршал Југославије) |
|||||
Reichsführer-SS | |||||||||||
Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the Royal Air Force |
Fleet Admiral General of the Army |
Chief Marshal | 一級上將 I-chi Shang-chiang (General 1st Class) | - | Αρχιναύαρχος (Admiral of the Fleet) Στρατάρχης (Field Marshal) |
Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall SS-Volksmarschall |
Grand'Ammiraglio Maresciallo d'Italia Maresciallo dell'Aria |
Sotamarsalkka ("War Marshal") | Gensui | Amiral de la flotte | General armije (Генерал армије) |
Адмирал флота (Admiral of the Fleet) Генерал армии (General of the Army) |
|||||||||||
Admiral General Air Chief Marshal |
Admiral General |
Адмира́л (Admiral) General-Colonel |
Ehr-chi Shang-chiang (General 2nd Class) |
Admirał Generał broni |
Ναύαρχος (Admiral) Στρατηγός (General) Πτέραρχος (Air Chief Marshal) |
Generaladmiral Generaloberst Oberstgruppenführer |
Ammiraglio di Armata Generale d'Armata |
Amiraali Kenraali |
Taishō | Général d'armée Amiral Général d'armée aérienne |
General-pukovnik (Генерал-пуковник) |
Vice-Admiral Lieutenant-General Air Marshal |
Vice Admiral Lieutenant General |
Vice-Admiral General-Lieutenant |
中將 Chung-chiang (Lieut.-General) |
Wiceadmirał Generał dywizji |
Αντιναύαρχος (Vice-Admiral) Αντιστράτηγος (Lieutenant General) Αντιπτέραρχος (Air Marshal) |
Admiral General 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 | |||||||||||
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) |
Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore |
Commodore Brigadier General |
- | - | - | - | Konteradmiral Generalmajor Brigadeführer |
Contrammiraglio Generale di Brigata |
- | - | Général de brigade capitaine de vaisseau chef de division Général de brigade aérienne |
- |
Kommodore Oberführer |
|||||||||||
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) |
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) |
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) |
Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant |
Lieutenant Captain |
Капита́н-лейтена́нт (Captain-Lieutenant) Капита́н (Captain) |
上尉 Shang-wei (Captain) | Kapitan marynarki Kapitan |
Υποπλοίαρχος (Lieutenant) Λοχαγός (Captain) Σμηναγός (Flight Lieutenant) |
Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann Hauptsturmführer |
Primo Capitano | Kapteeniluutnantti Kapteeni |
Taii | Capitaine Lieutenant de vaisseau Capitaine |
Kapetan (Капетaн) |
Tenente di Vascello Capitano |
|||||||||||
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 |
Luutnantti | Chūi | Lieutenant Enseigne de vaisseau de 1 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 |
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—Max Frisch (19111991)
“When Prince William [later King William IV] was at Cork in 1787, an old officer ... dined with him, and happened to say he had been forty years in the service. The Prince with a sneer asked what he had learnt in those forty years. The old gentleman justly offended, said, Sir, I have learnt, when I am no longer fit to fight, to make as good a retreat as I can and walked out of the room.”
—Horace Walpole (17171797)
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“The War was decided in the first twenty days of fighting, and all that happened afterwards consisted in battles which, however formidable and devastating, were but desperate and vain appeals against the decision of Fate.”
—Winston Churchill (18741965)