Comparative military ranks of World War II

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

Approximate modern NATO equivalent	UK, British Empire & Commonwealth	United States	Soviet Union⁶	German Third Reich	Empire of Japan
Approximate modern NATO equivalent					</center>
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
OF-10	Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal Marshal of the RAF	Fleet Admiral General of the Army	Ма́ршал Сове́тского Сою́за (Marshal Sovetskogo Soyuza)	Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall Generalfeldmarschall Reichsführer-SS	Gensui
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
OF-9	Admiral General Air Chief Marshal	Admiral General	Ма́ршал ... (Marshal [of the] ...)⁵		Taishō
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
		Ensign Second Lieutenant	Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Mladshij Leytenant) Мла́дший лейтена́нт (Mladshij Leytenant)	Leutnant zur See Leutnant Leutnant Untersturmführer	Shōi

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.

Comparative military ranks of World War II

Notes

See also