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ranks
ranks. In this book, the rank as given in the headword of those servicemen who have a biographical entry is the highest they achieved during the course of the war. SS ranks have their equivalent British rank in brackets after them: a full list appears in the SS entry. The very highest ranks are, when necessary, translated into English (i.e. Gross Admiral is given as Grand Admiral). Otherwise, with one exception, the equivalent British rank has been given for officers (i.e. a German Generalmajor is called a brigadier), both in biographical entries and in the text (see Table). The exception is the American, and French, rank of brigadier-general, the equivalent of a British brigadier, which has been retained (in France a brigadier is a non-commissioned rank). The Japanese did not have the rank of brigadier, nor the naval equivalent of commodore.
Apart from the fact that the air forces of some powers were part of the army or navy, and their officers therefore had military or naval ranks, the ranks of the most senior air force and naval officers of the major combatants were equivalent to those in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, with the exception that the highest ranks in the Japanese armed forces were general and admiral, field marshal and admiral of the fleet being honorary ranks bestowed by the emperor on rare occasions. The reader must not infer from the above that all officers of equivalent rank, whatever their nationality, commanded the same size formations. For example, a Japanese major-general normally commanded a brigade, an American or British major-general a division. |
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Cite this article
I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "ranks." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "ranks." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-ranks.html I. C. B. DEAR and M. R. D. FOOT. "ranks." The Oxford Companion to World War II. 2001. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O129-ranks.html |
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ranks
ranks close ranks unite in order to defend common interests; the idea is of a body of soldiers coming closer together in a line when under attack.
rise through (or from) the ranks (of a private or a non-commissioned officer) receive a commission. See also rank. |
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Cite this article
ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ranks." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ranks." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ranks.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "ranks." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-ranks.html |
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