Comparative military ranks of World War II

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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)
• Finland (on side of axis powers)

KEY:

Navy

Army

Air ForceTemplate:Ref

Waffen-SS/Allgemeine SSTemplate:Ref

Generic army ranks not specific to any service

Appr. NATO code	Image:Flag of the United Kingdom.svg	Image:Flag of the United States (1912-1959).svg	Image:Flag of the Soviet Union.svg	Image:Flag of Poland 2.svg	Image:Hellenic Land Flag.svg	Image:Flag Germany 1933.svg	Image:Flag of Italy (1861-1946).svg	Image:Japanese-War-Ensign.svg
	British CommonwealthTemplate:Ref	United States	Soviet UnionTemplate:Ref	PolandTemplate:Ref	GreeceTemplate:Ref	German Reich	Italy	Empire of Japan
-	-	-	Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за (Generalissimo of the Soviet Union)Template:Ref	-	-	-	-
-	-	Admiral of the NavyTemplate:Ref General of the Armies	Ма́ршал Сове́тского Сою́за (Marshal of the Soviet Union)	Marszałek PolskiTemplate:Ref	-	Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen ReichesTemplate:Ref	Primo Maresciallo dell'Impero	-
OF-10	Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the RAF/other Commonwealth air forceTemplate:Ref	Fleet Admiral General of the Army	Главный маршал (Chief Marshal)Template:Ref	-	Αρχιναύαρχος (Archinaúarchos) Αρχιστράτηγος (Archistrátegos)	Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall Reichsführer-SS	Grand'Ammiraglio Maresciallo	GensuiTemplate:Ref
			Адмирал флота (Admiral of the Fleet)Template:Ref 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 Template:Ref 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	CommodoreTemplate:Ref Brigadier Air Commodore	CommodoreTemplate:Ref Brigadier General	-	Komandor	Ταξίαρχος Αεροπορίας (Taxíarchos Aeroporías)	KommodoreTemplate:Ref 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 KapitanTemplate:Ref	Υποπλοίαρχος (Hypoploíarchos) Λοχαγός (Lochagós) Σμηναγός (Smenagós)	Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann Template:Ref 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 TenenteTemplate:Ref	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

Notes

1. Template:Note Air Force ranks equal to generic Army ranks are not shown.
2. Template:Note Generals in the Waffen-SS also held the army equivalent rank (e.g. SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS).
3. Template:Note The name "British Commonwealth" came into official use in 1926.
4. Template:Note Included ranks on WW2 period only.
5. Template:Note 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.
6. Template:Note 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.
7. Template:Note From June 27, 1945. Stalin appointed this rank by Supreme Council after victory over Germany.
8. Template:Note 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.
9. Template:Note See the article on Marszałek Polski
10. Template:Note Essentially a "vanity rank" created by Hitler on June 29, 1941, for Hermann Göring.
11. Template:Note For example, King George VI was "Marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force" during 1939-45.
12. Template:Note 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)
13. Template:Note 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. Template:Note Introduced in 1940. From May 1945 became equal to Marshal of the Soviet Union [1]
15. Template:Note Full Generals in the army generally held the rank of their service branch, such as "General der Infanterie" or "General der Artillerie". Likewise, full Generals in the Air Force were called "General der Flieger".
16. Template:Note Actually a Captain acting in an admiral's capacity.
17. Template:Note Rank reintroduced in 1943.
18. Template:Note 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.
19. Template:Note Traditionally captains of Polish cavalry held the rank of rotmistrz, a direct equivalent of the rank of kapitan in other branches of the military.
20. Template:Note Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps were called Rittmeister.
21. Template:Note "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.

See also

• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• Comparative military ranks
• Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffelde:Militärische Ränge im Zweiten Weltkrieg

zh:二戰各國軍銜