comparative military ranks of world war ii

The following table shows comparative 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

UK, British Empire & Commonwealth	United States	Soviet Union	German Third Reich	Empire of Japan
					rowspan=2 \| Approximate modern NATO equivalent
rowspan=3 valign=top \| Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the RAF	rowspan=3 valign=top \| Fleet Admiral General of the Army	Generalissimus Sovetskogo Soyuza	Reichsmarschall des Grodeutschen Reiches	rowspan=3 valign=top \| GEN SUI	rowspan=3 valign=top \| OF-10
Admiral Flota ² Marshal Sovetskogo Soyuza Marshal Sovetskogo Soyuza	rowspan=2 valign=top \| Groadmiral Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall Reichsfhrer-SS
valign=top \| Glavnyy Marshal Glavnyy Marshal Aviatsiyi
valign=top \|Admiral General Air Chief Marshal	valign=top \|Admiral General	valign=top \| General Armiyi Marshal Aviatsiyi	valign=top \|Generaladmiral Generaloberst Generaloberst Oberstgruppenfhrer	valign=top \|TAI SHO	valign=top \|OF-9
valign=top \|Vice Admiral Lieutenant General Air Marshal	valign=top \|Vice Admiral Lieutenant General	valign=top \|Admiral General Polkovnik General Polkovnik	valign=top \|Admiral General General der Flieger Obergruppenfhrer	valign=top \|CHU JO	valign=top \|OF-8
valign=top \|Rear Admiral Major General Air Vice Marshal	valign=top \|Rear Admiral Major General	valign=top \|Vice Admiral General Leytenant General Leytenant	valign=top \|Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant Generalleutnant Gruppenfhrer	valign=top \|SHO SHO	valign=top \|OF-7
valign=top \|Commodore Brigadier Air Commodore	valign=top \|Commodore (rank reintroduced 1943) Brigadier General	valign=top \|Kontr Admiral General Major General Major	valign=top \|Konteradmiral Generalmajor Generalmajor Brigadefhrer	.	valign=top \|OF-6
valign=top \|Captain Colonel Group Captain	valign=top \|Captain Colonel	valign=top \|Kapitan 1-go ranga Polkovnik Polkovnik	valign=top \|Kapitn zur See / Kommodore Oberst Oberst Oberfhrer/Standartenfhrer ³	valign=top \|DAI SA TAI SA	valign=top \|OF-5
valign=top \|Commander Lieutenant Colonel Wing Commander	valign=top \|Commander Lieutenant Colonel	valign=top \|Kapitan 2-go ranga Podpolkovnik Podpolkovnik	valign=top \|Fregattenkapitn Oberstleutnant Oberstleutnant Obersturmbannfhrer	valign=top \|CHU SA	valign=top \|OF-4
valign=top \|Lieutenant Commander Major Squadron Leader	valign=top \|Lieutenant Commander Major	valign=top \|Kapitan 3-go ranga Major Major	valign=top \|Korvettenkapitn Major Major Sturmbannfhrer	valign=top \|SHO SA	valign=top \|OF-3
valign=top \|Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant	valign=top \|Lieutenant Captain	valign=top \|Kapitan Leytenant Kapitan Kapitan	valign=top \|Kapitnleutnant Hauptmann/Rittmeister ⁴ Hauptmann Hauptsturmfhrer	valign=top \|DAI I TAI I	valign=top \|OF-2
rowspan=2 valign=top \| Sub Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer	rowspan=2 valign=top \| Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant	Starshiyi Leytenant Starshiyi Leytenant Starshiyi Leytenant	rowspan=2 valign=top \| Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant Oberleutnant Obersturmfhrer	rowspan=2 valign=top \| CHU I	rowspan=3 valign=top \| OF-1
valign=top \|Leytenant Leytenant Leytenant
valign=top \|Commissioned Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant Pilot Officer	valign=top \|Ensign Second Lieutenant	valign=top \|Mladshij Leytenant Mladshij Leytenant Mladshij Leytenant	valign=top \|Leutnant zur See Leutnant Leutnant Untersturmfhrer	valign=top \|SHO I

Notes

Generals in the Waffen-SS would also hold the title equivalent to the army's, such as Generalmajor of the SS.
Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union (Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza) was not used until the early fifties. Until 1944 there was no higher rank in the Soviet Navy than Admiral.
Oberfhrer and Standartenfhrer were separate ranks, but both were equivalent to an Oberst. Oberfhrer was the senior rank.
Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps were called Rittmeister.

Comparative Military Ranks Of World War Ii

Notes

See also