Lieutenant General
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General is a military
rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages
where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command
on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General
.
In modern armies, Lieutenant General normally ranks immediately below General and above Major General
; it is equivalent to the navy rank of Vice Admiral
, and in Air Forces with a separate rank structure, it is equivalent to Air Marshal
. A Lieutenant General heads up an Army Corps, made up of typically three Army Divisions
, and consisting of around 60,000 soldiers.
The term Major General is a shortened version of the previous term Sergeant Major General
, which was also subordinate to Lieutenant General. This is why a Lieutenant General outranks a Major General, whereas a Major
is senior to a Lieutenant
.
In many countries, the rank of Corps General has replaced the earlier rank of Lieutenant General (e.g. France, Italy). (The ranks of corps general
and lieutenant colonel general
are intended to solve the apparent Lieutenant General / Major General anomaly). However, for convenience, this is often translated into English as Lieutenant General.
In Argentina, lieutenant general is the highest army rank in use. The highest rank is theoretically captain-general, but it is not used in deference of liberator José de San Martín
, the first and only captain general of the Argentine army.
The Irish defence forces Chief of Staff is a Lieutenant General as the force is too small to require a higher rank
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command
Second in Command
Second in Command is a 2006 action film directed by Simon Fellows, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It was released direct-to-video in the United States, Belgium, and Germany on May 2, 2006. It has been rated R by the MPAA for violence and some language. The film was made in Bucharest, Romania.-Plot...
on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
.
In modern armies, Lieutenant General normally ranks immediately below General and above Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
; it is equivalent to the navy rank of Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
, and in Air Forces with a separate rank structure, it is equivalent to Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
. A Lieutenant General heads up an Army Corps, made up of typically three Army Divisions
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, and consisting of around 60,000 soldiers.
The term Major General is a shortened version of the previous term Sergeant Major General
Sergeant Major General
Sergeant major general is a now extinct military rank that can trace its origins to the Middle Ages. Originally simply sergeant major, the title—unlike the modern military rank of the same name—signified a general officer, commander of an army's infantry and typically third in command of the army...
, which was also subordinate to Lieutenant General. This is why a Lieutenant General outranks a Major General, whereas a Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
is senior to a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
In many countries, the rank of Corps General has replaced the earlier rank of Lieutenant General (e.g. France, Italy). (The ranks of corps general
Corps General
Corps General is a rank corresponding to the Commonwealth and US rank of Lieutenant General. For convenience the rank in foreign armies is normally actually translated as Lieutenant General. In France a général de corps d'armée is actually an appointment of Divisional General, rather than a...
and lieutenant colonel general
Lieutenant Colonel General
Lieutenant Colonel General, in Serbo-Croat Генерал-Потпуковник or General-Potpukovnik , is a rank in some armies, notably the Serbian Army and Air Force....
are intended to solve the apparent Lieutenant General / Major General anomaly). However, for convenience, this is often translated into English as Lieutenant General.
In Argentina, lieutenant general is the highest army rank in use. The highest rank is theoretically captain-general, but it is not used in deference of liberator José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
, the first and only captain general of the Argentine army.
The Irish defence forces Chief of Staff is a Lieutenant General as the force is too small to require a higher rank
Lieutenant General ranks by country
- Lieutenant General (Australia)Lieutenant General (Australia)Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
- Lieutenant General (Bangladesh)Lieutenant General (Bangladesh)Lieutenant General is the second-highest active rank of the Bangladesh Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Lieutenant General...
- Lieutenant-General (Canada)Lieutenant-General (Canada)In the Canadian Forces, the rank of lieutenant-general is an Army or Air Force rank equal to a vice-admiral of the Navy. A lieutenant-general is a general officer, the equivalent of a Naval flag officer. A lieutenant-general is senior to a major general or rear-admiral, and junior to a general or...
- KindralKindralKindral is the Estonian word for General which is also the highest military position in the Republic of Estonia. Both Ground Force and Air Force superior officers ranks share the same names which have been combined with the military rank of general and other senior officer ranks...
leitnant (Estonia) - Kenraaliluutnantti (Finland)
- GeneralleutnantGeneral (Germany)General is presently the highest rank of the German Army and Luftwaffe . It is the equivalent to the rank of Admiral in the German Navy .-Early history:...
(Germany) - Altábornagy (Hungary)
- Lieutenant General (India)
- Lieutenant General (Republic of Ireland)
- Tenente generale (Italy)
- Luitenant-Generaal (Netherlands)
- Generalløytnant (Norway)
- Lieutenant General (Pakistan)Lieutenant General (Pakistan)Pakistan Army has followed British Army rank system since its independence from British Empire in 1947. However, the crown in the ranks has been replaced with a star and crescent, which symbolizes the sovereignty of Government of Pakistan....
- Tenente-General (Portugal)
- General de corp de armată (Romania) (see Général de corps d'arméeGénéral de corps d'arméeA Général de corps d'armée is a senior rank in the French Army.The rank is the equivalent of a Lieutenant General in other countries and is junior to the rank of Général d'armée and senior to Général de division...
(Fr)) - Lieutenant General (Russia)
- Teniente General (Spain)
- Lieutenant General (Sri Lanka)
- GenerallöjtnantGenerallöjtnantFinnish Defence Forces rank of Kenraaliluutnantti is comparable to Ranks of NATO armies officers as OF-8- Holders of the rank in Sweden :* Head of operations* Head of productions—responsible for the training of all troops* Head of special forces...
(Sweden) - Pol Tho (Thailand)
- Lieutenant General (United Kingdom)
- Lieutenant General (United States)Lieutenant General (United States)In the United States Army, the United States Air Force and the United States Marine Corps, lieutenant general is a three-star general officer rank, with the pay grade of O-9. Lieutenant general ranks above major general and below general...
Lieutenant General equivalent ranks
- General pukovnik, (Croatia)
- General pukovnik (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Général de corps d'arméeGénéral de corps d'arméeA Général de corps d'armée is a senior rank in the French Army.The rank is the equivalent of a Lieutenant General in other countries and is junior to the rank of Général d'armée and senior to Général de division...
(France) - Sepah-BodSpahbodSpahbod or Spahbed , is derived from the words Spah and bod ; or "Aspah'Paeity" , and means commander of cavaliers/ knights; alternatively Spah Salar was a rank used in the Parthian empire and more widely in the Sassanid Empire of Persia...
(Iran) - Farig فريق (Saudi Arabia)
- Rav Aluf (Israel)
- Generale di Corpo d'ArmataGenerale di Corpo d'ArmataGenerale di Corpo d'Armata, or "Tenente Generale" is an Italian military rank equivalent to Lieutenant General in the forces of some English speaking countries....
(Italy) - Chūshou 中将 (Japan)
- JungjangJungjangJungjang is the South Korean equivalent of a Lieutenant General. It outranks the Sojang, equivalent to a Major General. The rank is also held by Korean Vice Admirals and uses three stars as its badge of rank, much like the United States version....
(North Korea) - Chungjang (South Korea)
- Generał broni (Poland)
- Korpskommandant / Commandant de corps (Switzerland)
- General de División (México)
- Korgeneral and Koramiral (Turkey)
- Trung tướng and Phó Đô đốc (Vietnam)
Other Lieutenant General ranks
- GruppenführerGruppenführerGruppenführer was an early paramilitary rank of the Nazi Party, first created in 1925 as a senior rank of the SA.-SS rank:...
(Waffen-SSWaffen-SSThe Waffen-SS was a multi-ethnic and multi-national military force of the Third Reich. It constituted the armed wing of the Schutzstaffel or SS, an organ of the Nazi Party. The Waffen-SS saw action throughout World War II and grew from three regiments to over 38 divisions, and served alongside...
) - Feldmarschallleutnant (Austro-Hungarian ArmyAustro-Hungarian ArmyThe Austro-Hungarian Army was the ground force of the Austro-Hungarian Dual Monarchy from 1867 to 1918. It was composed of three parts: the joint army , the Austrian Landwehr , and the Hungarian Honvédség .In the wake of fighting between the...
)