Highest military ranks In many nations the highest military ranks are classed as being equivalent to , or are officially described as , five - star rank s . However , a number of nations have used or proposed ranks such as " generalissimo " which are senior to their five - star equivalent ranks . This article summarises those ranks . " Generalissimo " and " Generalissimus " . Adopted from Italian ( " generalissimo " ) and / or Latin ( " generalissimus " ) , the rank titles literally mean " the utmost general " . A number of countries , including the Republic of China , France , Russia , Venezuela , Brazil , Spain , Cuba , Mexico , Sweden and the USSR , have used these ranks . In most countries the rank has only been held by one or two men throughout their history . " Generalissimus " of the Soviet Union . The rank of " generalissimus of the Soviet Union " was created on June 27 , 1945 , and granted to Joseph Stalin , who never actually wore the insignia . He was the only person ever to hold the rank . " Reichsmarschall " . In 1940 Nazi Germany , Hermann Göring was promoted by Adolf Hitler to " Reichsmarschall " , the highest rank in the armed forces of Nazi Germany during World War II , ( after the position of supreme commander , which was held by Hitler himself ) . Göring was the only person to hold this rank in modern times . The rank of " Reichsmarschall " was originally created before the 12th century , during the time of the Holy Roman Empire . Historically , holding the rank of " Reichsmarschall " was neither unique nor as prestigious as it was during World War II . During the time of the German Empire and World War I , no one in the German armed forces held this rank . First marshal of the Empire . The Italian rank of " first marshal of the Empire " was granted in 1938 to Benito Mussolini and King Victor Emmanuel III , who remain the only holders , as the rank , and the Italian Empire , was abolished after World War II . " Dai - gensui " . The Japanese rank of " dai - gensui " ( " grand marshal " ) was held by the Emperor of Japan in his capacity as commander - in - chief of the Imperial Japanese Army from 1889 to 1945 , and abolished in 1947 . It was held by three people : Emperor Meiji , Emperor Taishō , and Emperor Shōwa . " Wonsu " . The rank of " wonsu " is used in both North Korea and South Korea . In South Korea it is considered a five - star rank , and uses an insignia based on the five - star insignia of the U . S . General of the Army . North Korea also maintains a rank of " chasu " , senior to the four - star rank of " daejang " , but junior to " wonsu " . Its insignia is a large single star , based on the insignia of marshal of the Soviet Union which is itself based on the marshal ' s star . North Koreans awarded the rank of " wonsu " have included : Kim Jong - il ( 1992 ) , O Jin U ( 1992 ) , Choe Kwang ( 1995 ) and Li Ul - sol ( 1995 ) . Rank of marshal with the title " marshal of the Democratic People ' s Republic of Korea " ( " konghwaguk wonsu " ) is superior to " marshal of the Korean People ' s Army " . " Taewonsu " . North Korea also has the rank of " taewonsu " , superior to " wonsu " . Its insignia is based on the North Korean " wonsu " insignia , but with an added crest . The rank was created in 1992 when it was awarded to Kim Il - sung , who was the only holder until 2012 , when his successor Kim Jong - il was awarded the title posthumously . Admiral of the navy . Admiral of the Navy ( United States ) . George Dewey was promoted to the U . S . rank of admiral of the navy on March 24 , 1903 , retroactive to March 2 , 1899 . In 1944 the Navy Department declared the newly created five - star rank of fleet admiral to be junior to George Dewey ' s rank . During the preparations for the invasion of Japan , a proposal was raised by the Navy Department to appoint Chester Nimitz to the rank of admiral of the navy , or grant him some equivalent rank . The proposal , however , was dropped after the Japanese surrender , and the United States Navy has never officially appointed anyone to the rank of six - star admiral . Even so , admiral of the navy is considered to be senior to the U . S . rank of fleet admiral and the equivalent of the U . S . Army ' s rank of general of the armies . General of the armies of the United States . The U . S . rank of general of the armies was first created in 1799 , but not awarded . John Pershing was promoted to " general of the armies " in 1919 , from what was then the highest rank , the four - star rank of general . Under the regulations of the time , he was permitted to choose his insignia , and he chose four gold stars , ( in contrast to the four silver stars used by U . S . general and admiral rank insignia ) . General Pershing was still alive in 1944 when the five - star rank of general of the army was created . It was explicitly stated that he remained senior to the new five - star appointments . In 1945 , in preparation for the invasion of Japan , it was proposed that General Douglas MacArthur be promoted to " general of the armies " , and that this would explicitly be a six - star rank . However , this and subsequent proposals were never adopted . In 1976 , as part of the American Bicentennial celebrations , George Washington was ( posthumously ) promoted to general of the armies of the United States . He had retired with the rank of lieutenant general , the highest rank in the Army for much of the early part of American history . However , as a result of reforms in the Army ' s ranking system , Washington was now outranked by all four - and five - star generals since his time . The resolution was intended to correct this in light of Washington ' s role in American history . It explicitly stated that no American officer — past , present or future — is to ever outrank him .