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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)

KEY:

Navy

Army

Air Force

Waffen/Allgemeine-SS;, Political staff (USSR);

Not specific to any service

Approximate modern NATO equivalent	Union Jack	Star-spangled Banner		Flag of Greece		Swastika flag of the Third Reich	Flag of Kingdom of Italy	Japanese Imperial Flag
	British Empire	United States	Poland	Greece	Soviet Union	German Third Reich	Italy	Empire of Japan
OF-10 and above	Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the RAF	General of the Armies Admiral of the Navy	Marszałek Polski	Αρχιναύαρχος (Archinaúarchos) Αρχιστράτηγος (Archistrátegos)	Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за (Generalissimus Sovetskogo Soyuza)	Reichsmarschall des Großdeutschen Reiches	Primo Maresciallo dell'Impero	Gensüi
					Ма́ршал Сове́тского Сою́за (Marshal Sovetskogo Soyuza)		Grand'Ammiraglio Maresciallo d'Italia Maresciallo dell Avia blank text
		Fleet Admiral General of the Army blank text			Адмирал флота(Admiral Flota) Главный маршал рода войск(Glavnyi Marshal Roda Vojsk) Главный Маршал Авиации Советского Союза (Glavnyi Marshal Aviatsii Sovetskogo Soyuza) Генеральный армейский комиссар (Generalnyi Armeyskiy Comissar)	Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall Reichsführer-SS blank text
OF-9	Admiral General Air Chief Marshal	Admiral General	-	Ναύαρχος (Naúarchos) Στρατηγός (Strategós) Πτέραρχος (Ptérarchos)	Генерал армии (General Armii) Mаршал рода войск( Marshal Roda Vojsk) Mаршал авиации (Marshal Aviatsii) Армейский комиссар 1-го ранга (Armeyskiy Comissar 1-go ranga)	Generaladmiral Generaloberst Generaloberst Oberstgruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Armata Generale d'Armata Generale D'Armata Aerea	Tai Shō Tai Shō
OF-8	Vice-Admiral Lieutenant-General Air Marshal	Vice Admiral Lieutenant General	Admirał Generał broni Generał broni	Αντιναύαρχος (Antinaúarchos) Αντιστράτηγος (Antistrátegos) Αντιπτέραρχος (Antiptérarchos)	Адмира́л (Admiral) Генера́л-полко́вник (General-Polkovnik) Армейский комиссар 2-го ранга (Armeyskiy Comissar 2-go ranga)	Admiral General General der Flieger Obergruppenführer	Ammiraglio di Squadra Generale di Corpo d'Armata Generale di Corpo D'Armata Aerea	Chū Jū Chū Jū
OF-7	Rear-Admiral Major-General Air Vice-Marshal	Rear Admiral Major General	Wiceadmirał Generał dywizji Generał dywizji	Υποναύαρχος (Hyponaúarchos) Υποστράτηγος (Hypostrátegos) Υποπτέραρχος (Hypoptérarchos)	Ви́це-адмира́л (Vice-Admiral) Генера́л-лейтена́нт (General-Leytenant) Корпусный комиссар (Corpusniy Comissar)	Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant Generalleutnant Gruppenführer	Contrammiraglio Generale di Divisione Generale di Divisione Aerea	Shō Shō Shō Shō
OF-6	Commodore 1st Class	Commodore Brigadier General	Kontradmirał Generał brygady Generał brygady	Ταξίαρχος Αεροπορίας (Taxíarchos Aeroporías)	Ко́нтр-адмира́л (Kontr-Admiral) Генера́л-майо́р (General-Mayor) Дивизионный комиссар (Divizionniy Comissar)	Konteradmiral Generalmajor Generalmajor Brigadeführer	Capitano di Vascello Generale di Brigata Generale di Brigata Aerea	Jün Shō Jün Shō
	Commodore 2nd Class Brigadier Air Commodore					Kommodore
OF-5	Captain Colonel Group Captain	Captain Colonel	Komandor Pułkownik Pułkownik	Πλοίαρχος (Ploíarchos) Συνταγματάρχης (Syntagmatárches) Σμήναρχος (Sménarchos)	Капита́н 1-го ра́нга (Kapitan 1-go ranga) Полко́вник (Polkovnik) Полковой комиссар (Polkovoy Comissar)	Oberführer	Capitano di Fregata Colonnello Colonello	Dai Sa Tai Sa
						Kapitän zur See Oberst Oberst Standartenführer	Colonnello comandante di corpo
OF-4	Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Wing Commander	Commander Lieutenant Colonel	Komandor porucznik Podpułkownik Podpułkownik	Αντιπλοίαρχος (Antiploíarchos) Αντισυνταγματάρχης (Antisyntagmatárches) Αντισμήναρχος (Antisménarchos)	Капита́н 2-го ра́нга (Kapitan 2-go ranga) Подполко́вник (Podpolkovnik) Старший батальонный комиссар (Starshiy Batalionniy Comissar)	Fregattenkapitän Oberstleutnant Oberstleutnant Obersturmbannführer	Capitano di Fregata Tenente Colonnello Tenente Colonnello	Chū Sa Chū Sa
OF-3	Lieutenant-Commander Major Squadron Leader	Lieutenant Commander Major	Komandor podporucznik Major Major	Πλωτάρχης (Plotárches) Ταγματάρχης (Tagmatárches) Επισμηναγός (Epismenagós)	Капита́н 3-го ра́нга (Kapitan 3-go ranga) Майо́р (Mayor) Батальонный комиссар (Batalionniy Comissar)	Korvettenkapitän Major Major Sturmbannführer	Capitano di Corvetta Maggiore Maggiore	Shō Sa Shō Sa
OF-2	Lieutenant Captain Flight Lieutenant	Lieutenant Captain	Kapitan marynarki Kapitan Kapitan	Υποπλοίαρχος (Hypoploíarchos) Λοχαγός (Lochagós) Σμηναγός (Smenagós)	Капита́н-лейтена́нт (Kapitan-Leytenant) Капита́н (Kapitan) Ротный комиссар (Rotniy Comissar)	Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann/Rittmeister Hauptmann Hauptsturmführer	Tenente di Vascello 1° Capitano 1° Capitano	Dai I Tai I
							Capitano Capitano
OF-1	Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Flying Officer	Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant	Porucznik marynarki Porucznik Porucznik	Ανθυποπλοίαρχος (Anthypoploíarchos) Υπολοχαγός (Hypolochagós) Υποσμηναγός (Hyposmenagós)	Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Starshiy Leytenant) Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Starshiy Leytenant) Старший политрук (Starshiy Politruk)	Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant Oberleutnant Obersturmführer	1° Tenente 1° Tenente	Chū I Chū I
	Mate / Commissioned Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant Pilot Officer	Ensign Second Lieutenant	Podporucznik marynarki Podporucznik Podporucznik	Σημαιοφόρος (Semaiophóros) Ανθυπολοχαγός (Anthypolochagós) Ανθυποσμηναγός (Anthyposmenagós)	Лейтена́нт (Leytenant) Лейтена́нт (Leytenant) Политрук (Politruk)	Leutnant zur See Leutnant Leutnant Untersturmführer	Sottotenente di Vascello Tenente Tenente	Shō I Shō I
	Midshipman		Chorąży marynarki Chorąży Chorąży		Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Mladshiy Leytenant) Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Mladshiy Leytenant) Младший политрук (Mladshiy Politruk)		Guardiamarina Sottotenente Sottotenente

Notes

1. 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)
2. 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 pronounciation. See Greek alphabet.
3. Transliterations are approximate as there is no standardization in converting Cyrillic to Latin.
4. The exact comparison of the ranks above general is in many cases impossible. During the war, the responsibilities of the ranks listed in this table varied greatly and the NATO OF-10 code is used here merely for clarity.
5. Technically speaking -although no longer in active service, General John Pershing still held this rank.
6. See the article on Marszałek Polski
7. On June 27, 1945 Joseph Stalin assumed this rank to him self after victory over Germany.
8. Created by Hitler on June 29, 1941, especially for Hermann Göring, his formal successor.
9. Gensui, although usually translated as Field Marshal/Grand Admiral, was actually an honorary title conferred by the Emperor and not a rank as such.
10. Not introduced until 1944 (the even higher-ranking Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union was established only in 1955).
11. On October 9, 1943 the rank of the Marshal of specific arms was broken down onto one level, the higher of them being named the Chief Marshal of specific arm. In theory the rank was divided according specific service (Главный маршал артиллерии-Chief Marshal of Artillery, Главный маршал авиации-Chief Marshal of Air Force, Главный маршал бронетанковых войск-Chief Marshal of Armoured Forces, Главный маршал инженерных войск-of Engineering Service and Главный маршал войск связи-Chief Marshal of Signals), though the latter two ranks were never awarded.
12. Generals in the Waffen-SS also held the army equivalent rank (e.g. SS-Obergruppenführer und General der Waffen-SS).
13. Full Generals in the army generally held the rank of their service branch, such as "General der Infanterie" or "General der Artillerie".
14. Actually a Captain acting in an admirals capacity.
15. Rank reintroduced in 1943.
16. This rank fell into dissuse in the Thirds Reich's reorganization of the Kreigsmarine, although there were examples of those who continued to hold the rank in the early years of WWII.
17. An Oberführer was officially equivalent to a senior Oberst in the German Army.
18. Traditionally captains of Polish cavalry held the rank of rotmistrz, a direct equivalent of the rank of kapitan in other branches of the military
19. Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps were called Rittmeister.
20. "Primo" (1°) ranks were a way for identifying long term or career officers. 1° Capitano and 1° Tenente were officers with 12 years seniority in the rank or a total of 20 years of commissioned service.

Note that there is considerable debate as to the exact equivalency of officers of OF-6 equivalent rank and above.

See also

• Comparative military ranks of World War I
• Comparative military ranks
• Ranks and insignia of the Schutzstaffel

• Military ranks by country
• World War II