Generalissimo
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Generalissimo (Italian: Generalissimo [dʒeneraˈlissimo], Spanish: Generalísimo [xeneɾaˈlisimo], Portuguese: Generalíssimo [ʒenɨɾaˈlisimu], Latin: Generalissimus) is a military rank of the highest degree, superior to field marshal and other five-star ranks in the countries in which they are used. The word generalissimo is Italian and is the absolute superlative of generale ('general'), thus meaning "the highest-ranking of all generals".
Notable examples of generalissimos include leader of the Republic of China from 1938 to 1975 Chiang Kai-shek,[1] Alexander Menshikov of the Russian Imperial Army (1727-1728),[2] Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla of the Revolutionary Army of Mexico (1809-1811),[3] Kim Jong-Il of the Korean People's Army (1991-2011),[4] George Washington of the Continental and United States Armies (1775-1799 and 1798-1799, respectively),[5] John J. Pershing of the American Expeditionary Forces,[6] Francisco Franco of the Spanish Armed Forces (1936-1975),[7] Maxime Weygand of the French Army (1939), Emilio Aguinaldo of the Philippine Revolutionary Army (1898-1901),[8] and Charles XIV John of Sweden of the Royal Swedish Army (1810-1811).[9]
The rank Generalissimus of the Soviet Union would have been a generalissimo but Stalin refused to adopt the rank.[10][11]
Usage
The word "generalissimo" is an Italian term, from generale, plus the superlative suffix -issimo, itself from Latin -issimus,[12][13][14][15][16] meaning "utmost, to the highest grade".
Historically this rank was given to a military officer leading an entire army or the entire armed forces of a nation, usually only subordinate to the sovereign.[17] Other usage of the rank has been for the commander of the united armies of several allied powers.
List of generalissimos
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See also
- Commander-in-chief
- Field marshal
- Highest military ranks
- Generalissimus of the Soviet Union
- Caudillo
- Supreme commander
- General of the armies
- Admiralissimo
Notes
- ↑ Chiang Kai-shek was a 特級上將 ("general special class") of the Republic of China, cf. 特級上將授任條例
- ↑ The Napoleonic Marshal of France Jean Baptiste Bernadotte, Prince of Ponte Corvo, was elected Crown Prince of Sweden by the Riksdag of the Estates and King Charles XIII in 1810. Given his exalted French military rank, the rank of generalissimus was likely granted him in order to give him precedence over "mere" Swedish field marshals. Once he became King of Sweden and Norway in 1818, the generalissimus rank became superfluous.
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Menschikow und Stalin waren die einzigen Heerführer der russischen Geschichte, die sich „Generalissimus" nennen ließen." [Menshikov and Stalin were the only military leaders in Russian history who declared themselves "generalissimus".] Jena, Detlev (1996): Die russischen Zaren in Lebensbildern, Graz, p. 520.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Comunica Miguel Hidalgo su proclamaci n como General simo de Am rica. Documentos Historicos de Mexico, 24 Oct 1810.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The Australian, 15 February 2012, Late Kim Jong-il awarded highest honour by North
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Public Law 94-479 of January 19, 1976 to provide for the appointment of George Washington to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Public Law 66-45 of September 3, 1919 to revive the office of General of the Armies
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Cover, TIME magazine, 18 Oct 1943
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Emilio Aguinaldo. Biography.com. Retrieved 16 August 2015.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 (Swedish) Ancienneté och Rang-Rulla öfver Krigsmagten år 1813
- ↑ Service, Robert (2005). Stalin: A Biography. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. p. 548. ISBN 978-0-674-01697-2.
- ↑ S. M. Shtemenko. The General Staff in the War Years. Moskva 1985. Vietnamese version (vol. 2) . pp. 587-588.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., French Larousse Étymologique.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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- ↑ Jay Taylor:The Generalisimo:Chiang Kai-shek and the struggle for modern China (2009) Harvard Press
- ↑ John McGroarty :The Gray Man of Christ: Generalissimo Foch (1919) Los Angeles, Walter A Abbott
- ↑ Bletch Chirguh, La Question Kurde: ses origines et ses causes, Le Caire, Impimerie Paul Barbey, 1930, front cover, IHSAN NOURI PACHA Généralissime des forces nationales Kurdes (French)
- ↑ Joseph Stalin was appointed Generalissimus of the Soviet Union. See: Ivan Aleksandrovich Venediktov, Selskokhozyaystvennaya yentsiklopediya, Vol. 4, Gos. izd-vo selkhoz, 1956, p. 584. (Russian)
- ↑ The Daily Yomuiri, 29 September 2010, Kim Jong Un spotlighted / 'Heir apparent' promoted to general, makes DPRK media debut
- ↑ Stanley Walker : Generalissimo Rafael L. Trujillo (1955) Caribbean Library
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ A short history of Germany. Ernest Flagg Henderson, 1908
- ↑ Tilly und Wallenstein – ein Vergleich zweier Heerführer. Harry Horstmann, 2010. (German)
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