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)
- Italy (Axis power)
KEY:
- Navy
- Army
- Air Force
- Waffen/Allgemeine-SS ¹
- All Services
 |  | Missing image Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union.png Flag of the USSR | Missing image Flag_of_the_Third_Reich.png Swastika flag of the Third Reich | Missing image 16-jo_kyokujitsu-ki.png Japanese Imperial Flag | |
| UK, British Empire & Commonwealth | United States | Soviet Union6 | German Third Reich | Empire of Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OF-10 | Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the RAF | Fleet Admiral General of the Army | Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за (Generalissimus Sovetskogo Soyuza) | Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches | Gensui |
| Ма́ршал Сове́тского Сою́за (Marshal Sovetskogo Soyuza) | Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall Reichsführer-SS | ||||
| OF-9 | Admiral General Air Chief Marshal | Admiral General | Адмира́л фло́та (Admiral Flota)2; Генера́л а́рмии, Гла́вный ма́ршал ... (General [of the], Glavnyy Marshal [of the]...) 5</font> | Generaladmiral Generaloberst Generaloberst Oberstgruppenführer | Taishō |
| Ма́ршал ... (Marshal [of the] ...)5 | |||||
| OF-8 | Vice Admiral Lieutenant General Air Marshal | Vice Admiral General-Lieutenant | Адмира́л (Admiral) Генера́л-полко́вник (General-Polkovnik) | Admiral General General der Flieger Obergruppenführer | Chūjū |
| OF-7 | Rear Admiral Major General Air Vice Marshal | Rear Admiral Major General | Ви́це-адмира́л (Vice Admiral) Генера́л-лейтена́нт (General Leytenant) | Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant Generalleutnant Gruppenführer | Shōshō |
| OF-6 | Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore | Commodore (rank reintroduced 1943) Brigadier General | Ко́нтр-адмира́л (Kontr Admiral) Генера́л-майо́р (General Major) | Konteradmiral Generalmajor Generalmajor Brigadeführer | . |
| OF-5 | Captain Colonel Group Captain | Captain Colonel | Капита́н 1-го ра́нга (Kapitan, 1-go ranga) Полко́вник (Polkovnik) | Kapitän zur See / Kommodore Oberst Oberst Oberführer/Standartenführer 3 | Daisa Taisa |
| OF-4 | Commander Lieutenant Colonel Wing Commander | Commander Lieutenant Colonel | Капита́н 2-го ра́нга (Kapitan, 2-go ranga) Подполко́вник (Podpolkovnik) | Fregattenkapitän Oberstleutnant Oberstleutnant Obersturmbannführer | Chūsa |
| OF-3 | Lieutenant Commander Major Squadron Leader | Lieutenant Commander Major | Капита́н 3-го ра́нга (Kapitan, 3-go ranga) Майо́р (Major) | Korvettenkapitän Major Major Sturmbannführer | Shōsa |
| OF-2 | Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant | Lieutenant Captain | Капита́н-лейтена́нт (Kapitan Leytenant) Капита́н (Kapitan) | Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann/Rittmeister 4 Hauptmann Hauptsturmführer | Daii Taii |
| OF-1 | Sub Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer | Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant | Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Starshiyi Leytenant) Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Starshiyi Leytenant) | Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant Oberleutnant Obersturmführer | Chūi |
| Commissioned Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant Pilot Officer | Ensign Second Lieutenant | Лейтена́нт (Leytenant) Лейтена́нт (Leytenant) | Leutnant zur See Leutnant Leutnant Untersturmführer | Shōi | |
| Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Mladshij Leytenant) Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Mladshij Leytenant) |
Notes
- Generals in the Waffen-SS would also hold the title equivalent to the army's, such as Generalmajor of the SS.
- Until 1944 there was no higher rank in the Red Navy than Admiral, when Admiral of the Fleet was introduced (even higher-ranking Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union was established only in 1955).
- Oberführer and Standartenführer were separate ranks, but both were equivalent to an Oberst. Oberführer was the senior rank.
- Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps were called Rittmeister.
- One of the following Army branches: Aviation, Artillery, Armoured troops, Engineer troops, Communications troops (note that Air Force wasn't a separate service in the Soviet Union). Both Marshal and Chief Marshal of a branch are equivalent to General of the Army and are not to be confused with Marshal of the Soviet Union.
- Transliterations are approximate as there is no standardization in converting Cyrillic to Latin.
See also
- Comparative military ranks of World War I
- Comparative military ranks
- Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffelzh:二戰各國軍衔