Lieutenant General

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Common military ranks
Officers
Navies	Armies	Air forces
Admiral of the Fleet	Field Marshal	Marshal of the Air Force
Admiral	General	Air Marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air Commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group Captain
Commander	Lt. Colonel	Wing Commander
Lt. Commander	Major	Squadron Leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer
Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading Rate	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman

Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. In some countries (e.g. UK, USA) a lieutenant general theoretically commands an army corps, typically 20,000 to 40,000 men. In others (Eg Russia, Germany) lieutenant general is the divisional command rank, leading 10,000 to 20,000 men.

Lieutenant General normally ranks immediately below a senior rank of General and above Major General. In some countries, it is equivalent to the navy rank of Vice Admiral, and in Commonwealth countries, it is equivalent to Air Marshal in the air force.

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. The term Major General is a shortened version of the previous term Sergeant Major General, which was subordinate to Lieutenant General, just as sergeant major was subordinate to lieutenant. Therefore 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 the Israeli Army, there is no word for colonel. As a result, the battalion command rank is in fact called lieutenant-general. This rank is below deputy general (brigade command rank) and above captain-major.

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 Jose de San Martin, 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

[edit] Lieutenant General ranks by country

Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant General (Bangladesh)
Lieutenant-General (Canada)
Kindralleitnant (Estonia)
Generalleutnant (Germany)
Altábornagy (Hungary)
Lieutenant-General (India)
Lieutenant General (Republic of Ireland)
Luitenant-Generaal (Netherlands)
Lieutenant General (Pakistan)
Tenente-General (Portugal)
General de corp de armată (Romania)
Teniente General (Spain)
Lieutenant General (United Kingdom)^[1]
Lieutenant General (United States)

Lieutenant General (Australia)	Army Lieutenant-General (Canada)	Air Force Lieutenant-General (Canada)	Kindralleitnant (Estonia)
Lieutenant-General (Sri Lanka)	Lieutenant General (United Kingdom)	Lieutenant General (United States)