Lieutenant general

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 commands 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 a number of states, the rank of lieutenant general is the highest army rank in use. In Lithuania and Latvia, the chief of defence is a lieutenant general, and in the Irish Defence Forces and Israeli forces the Chief of Staff holds this rank.

Lieutenant general ranks by country

 * Lieutenant general (Australia)
 * Lieutenant general (Bangladesh)
 * General de Divisão (Brazil)
 * Lieutenant-general (Canada)
 * Kindralleitnant (Estonia)
 * Kenraaliluutnantti (Finland)
 * Generalleutnant (Germany)
 * Altábornagy (Hungary)
 * Lieutenant general (India)
 * Letnan Jenderal (Indonesia)
 * Sepahbod (Iran)
 * Lieutenant general (Republic of Ireland)
 * Rav Aluf (Israel)
 * Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
 * Генерал потполковник (general potpolkovnik) (Republic of Macedonia)
 * Luitenant-generaal (Netherlands)
 * Generalløytnant (Norway)
 * Lieutenant general (Pakistan)
 * Tenyente heneral (Philippines)
 * Generał dywizji (Poland)
 * Tenente-general (Portugal)
 * General de corp de armată (Romania) (see Général de corps d'armée (Fr))
 * Генерал-лейтенант ("lieutenant general") (Russia)
 * Teniente general (Spain)
 * Lieutenant general (Sri Lanka)
 * Generallöjtnant (Sweden)
 * Pol tho (Thailand)
 * Lieutenant general (United Kingdom)
 * Lieutenant general (United States)
 * Trung tướng (Vietnam)

Lieutenant general equivalent ranks

 * General pukovnik (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
 * General potpukovnik (Serbia)
 * Generalpodpolkovnik (Slovenia)
 * Général de corps d'armée (France)
 * Sepah-Bod (Iran)
 * Farig فريق (Saudi Arabia)
 * Rav Aluf (Israel)
 * Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
 * Chūshou 中将 (Japan)
 * Jungjang (North Korea)
 * Chungjang (South Korea)
 * Generał broni (Poland)
 * Korpskommandant/Commandant de corps (Switzerland)
 * General de División (México)
 * ''General de Ejército (Chile)
 * Korgeneral (Turkey)
 * Trung tướng and Phó Đô đốc (Vietnam)

Other Lieutenant general ranks

 * Gruppenführer (Waffen-SS)
 * Feldmarschallleutnant (Austro-Hungarian Army)