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Field Marshal is a military officer rank. Today, it is the highest rank in the armies in which it is used, one step above a general or colonel-general.

Usage and hierarchical position

The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses (from old German Marh-scalc = "horse-servant") from the time of the early Frankish kings.

Some nations use the title of marshal instead, while some have used field marshal general. The Air Force equivalent in the Commonwealth and many Middle Eastern air forces is marshal of the air force (not to be confused with air marshal). The corresponding naval ranks are normally fleet admiral, grand admiral or admiral of the fleet.

Traditionally, upon their promotion, field marshals are awarded a decorative baton as a symbol of their rank. The baton is often studded with jewels and inlaid with precious metals. In many countries like Austria-Hungary, Prussia and Germany, extraordinary military achievement by a general (in wartime a battle won) is required for a field marshal.

Historically, however, several armies used field marshal as a divisional command rank, notably Spain and Mexico (Spanish: mariscal de campo). In France, Portugal and Brazil (French: maréchal de camp, Portuguese marechal de campo) it was formerly a brigade command rank.

Regional examples

Australia

British army

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, was a field marshal in twelve armies. His twelve field marshal batons are on display in Apsley House.

China

During Imperial rule in China, successful generals were given the title of field marshal (元帅 Yuan Shuai) or grand field marshal (大元帅 da yuan shuai). One of the most famous of these generals was Yue Fei from the Song Dynasty.

Exeter College, Oxford

Making it unique amongst the colleges of the University of Oxford, the constitution of Exeter College JCR (known formally as the Stapleton Society) in Section N, Clause 4 contains provisions for the declaration of hostilities against another college and states that in such an event, a Field Marshal should be elected to oversee the effort. Whilst this provision has never been used, it is regarded as one of the most formidable mechanisms in the University, and has long spread fear in the rival Jesus College, due to the noted superiority of Exonian war leaders, tacticians, soldiers and their war machine in general.

France

In the French army of the Ancien Régime, the normal brigade command rank was field marshal (maréchal de camp). In 1793, during the French Revolution, the rank of field marshal was replaced by the rank of brigade general. The rank insignia of field marshal was two stars (one star being used for a senior colonel rank). The French field marshal rank was below lieutenant-general, which in 1793 became divisional-general. In the title maréchal de camp and the English "field marshal", there is an etymological confusion in the French camp between the English words "camp" and "field". The French rank of field marshal should not be confused with the rank of Marshal of France, which was the highest rank of the Ancien Régime and is in effect the highest French rank today (although in theory it is not an actual rank but a "state dignity").

India

Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw was the 8th chief of staff of the Indian Army in 1969 and under his command, Indian forces concluded a victorious campaign during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971. Sam Manekshaw was the first of only two Indian military officers to hold the highest rank of Field Marshal in the Indian Army the other being Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa.

Japan

Until the end of World War II, Japan also bestowed the honorary title of field marshal (元帥 gensui) on successful generals and admirals; they would however retain their ranks of general and admiral.

Pakistan army

Field marshal Muhammad Ayub Khan has remained the only field marshal in the Pakistan army till date. He appointed himself as a field marshal when he was the second president of Pakistan, as well as the commander in chief of the army.

Turkish army

In the Turkish Armed Forces, the corresponding rank is Mareşal. The rank of Mareşal can trace its origins to the Ottoman Empire and to the military of Persia, where it was called "مشير" (müşir) and bestowed upon senior commanders upon order of the ruling Sultan. The rank of Mareşal can only be bestowed by the National Assembly, and only given to a General who leads an army, navy and/or air force successfully in three battles or at various front lines at the same time, gaining a victory over the enemy. Only two persons have been bestowed the rank Mareşal to date: Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, and his chief of staff Fevzi Çakmak, both for their successes in the Turkish War of Independence.

United States

The United States has never used the rank of field marshal; however, General Douglas MacArthur was field marshal of the Philippine Army from August 24, 1936 until December 31, 1937.

On December 16, 1944, George Marshall became the first American general to be promoted to 5-star rank, the newly created General of the Army. A Washington columnist suggested (with tongue in cheek) that Marshall disliked the plan because five stars was the rank of field marshal and the Chief of Staff could then be addressed as “Marshal Marshall.”

Field marshal ranks

• Field Marshal (Australia)
• Feldmarschall (Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy)
• Marshal (Brazil)
• Vrhovnik (Croatia)
• Vojskovođa (Independent State of Croatia)
• Mushir (Egypt)
• Field Marshal (Finland)
• Field Marshal (France); Marshal of France

• Generalfeldmarschall (Germany)
• Stratarches (Greece)
• Field Marshal (India)
• Jenderal Besar (Indonesia)
• Field Marshal (Iran)
• Marshal of Italy
• Field Marshal (Malaysia)
• Field Marshal (New Zealand)
• Field Marshal (Pakistan)
• Marshal of Peru
• Field Marshal (Philippines)
• Marshal of Poland
• Mareşal (Romania)
• General Field Marshal (Imperial Russia)
• Marshal of the Russian Federation
• Field Marshal (South Africa)
• Marshal of the Soviet Union
• Vojvoda (Serbia)
• Fältmarskalk (Sweden)
• Chom Phon (Thailand)
• Field Marshal (Uganda)
• Field Marshal (United Kingdom)
• Marshal of Yugoslavia (SFR Yugoslavia)

Other meanings

• "Marshal" and "Marshall" are both common surnames, held by such notable figures as William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke, and George C. Marshall, the United States Army Chief of Staff during World War II.
• A marshal is also the name for some U.S. law enforcement officers, such as members of the United States Marshals Service, or sky marshals who serve as undercover law enforcement on board commercial aircraft.
• In the Royal Air Force and other air forces which use their rank system, air vice-marshal, air marshal, air chief marshal and Marshal of the Air Force are equivalent ranks to major-general, lieutenant-general, general and field marshal respectively.

References and notes

1. "Great Turkish Dictionary". Turkish Language Association. Retrieved 1 August 2009.
2. Eisenhower Memorial Commission - The Story Behind Ike’s Fifth Star

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See also

• List of Field Marshals
• List of Russian Field Marshals
• Grand Marshal
• Generalissimo

• Field Marshals
• Military ranks