Lieutenant general

Lieutenant general, lieutenant-general and similar (abbrev Lt. Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) 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 60,000–70,000 soldiers (U.S.).

The seeming incongruity that a lieutenant general outranks a major general (whereas a major outranks a lieutenant) is due to the derivation of the latter rank from sergeant major general, which was also subordinate to lieutenant general. In some countries (e.g. France and Italy), the ranks of corps general or lieutenant colonel general are used instead of lieutenant general, in an attempt to solve this apparent anomaly – these ranks are often translated into English as lieutenant general.

However, some countries of Latin America such as Brazil and Chile use divisional general as the equivalent of lieutenant general. In addition, because no brigadier general rank is used in Japan, lieutenant general is the rank of divisional commander. Therefore, it corresponds to divisional general of these countries. In a number of states, the rank of lieutenant general is the highest army rank in use. In Latvia, Lithuania and Singapore, the chief of defence is a lieutenant general, and in the Irish Defence Forces and Israel Defense Forces, the Chief of Staff holds this rank.

Lieutenant general ranks by country

 * Lieutenant general (Australia)
 * Lieutenant general (Bangladesh)
 * Porucnik-General (Bosnia & Herzegovina)
 * Lieutenant general (Botswana)
 * Генерал-лейтенант (Bulgaria)
 * Lieutenant-general (Canada)
 * zhong jiang (China and Taiwan)
 * General pukovnik (Croatia)
 * Generálporučík (Czech Republic)
 * Generalløjtnant (Denmark)
 * Kindralleitnant (Estonia)
 * Kenraaliluutnantti (Finland)
 * გენერალ ლეიტენანტი ("general leitenanti") (Georgia)
 * Generalleutnant (Germany)
 * Αντιστράτηγος (Greek Army Antistrátigos, vice general)
 * Altábornagy (Hungary)
 * Lieutenant general (India)
 * Letnan Jenderal (Indonesia)
 * Sepahbod (Iran)
 * Leifteanant-Ghinearál (Republic of Ireland)
 * Rav Aluf (Israel)
 * Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
 * Gjenerallejtenant (Kosovo)
 * Ģenerālleitnants (Latvia)
 * Generolas leitenantas (Lithuania)
 * Генерал потполковник (general potpolkovnik) (Republic of Macedonia)
 * General de División (Mexico)
 * Luitenant-generaal (Netherlands)
 * Lieutenant General (Nigeria)
 * Generalløytnant (Norway)
 * Lieutenant general (Pakistan)
 * Tenyente heneral (Philippines)
 * Generał broni (Poland)
 * Tenente-general (Portugal)
 * General de corp de armată (Romania) (see Général de corps d'armée (Fr))
 * Генерал-лейтенант ("general-lieutenant") (Russia)
 * Генерал-потпуковник ("general potpukovnik") (Serbia)
 * Teniente general (Spain)
 * Lieutenant general (Sri Lanka)
 * Generallöjtnant (Sweden)
 * Korpskommandant / Commandant de corps / Comandante di corpo (Switzerland)
 * Pol tho ("พลโท") (Thailand)
 * Korgeneral (Turkey)
 * Lieutenant general (United Kingdom)
 * Lieutenant general (United States)
 * Trung tướng (Vietnam)
 * Lieutenant general (Zimbabwe)

Lieutenant general equivalent ranks

 * فريق (Algeria)
 * General-de-Divisão (Brasil)
 * General de División (Chile)
 * General pukovnik (Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina)
 * Général de corps d'armée (France)
 * Sepah-Bod (Iran)
 * Rav Aluf (Israel)
 * Generale di Corpo d'Armata (Italy)
 * Rikugun-Chūjō陸軍中将(IJA), Rikushō陸将, and Kūshō空将(JSDF,three-star rank) (Japan)
 * Chungjang (North Korea)
 * Jungjang (South Korea)
 * General de División (México)
 * Generał broni (Poland)
 * Farig فريق (Saudi Arabia)
 * General potpukovnik (Serbia)
 * Generalpodpolkovnik (Slovenia)
 * Korpskommandant/Commandant de corps (Switzerland)
 * Trung tướng and Phó Đô đốc (Vietnam)

Other Lieutenant general ranks

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