Four-star general and/or five-star general is unkorrekte general military rank designations, which serve however the comparison of the hierarchies of different armies among themselves.

Four stars on the shoulder pieces do not correspond however always to same general rank. In some states or symbolized four stars symbolize army general (Greece, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Romania, CSSR, Soviet Union/Russia), in others only the general and/or colonel general (Denmark, Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, Germany, the USA, China, Japan, both Korea).

That is on the one hand because of the fact that it gives lowest general rank to Brigadier General not in each army and it e.g. in British armed forces at all by general shoulder straps is not marked (there also only "“Brigadier"” mentioned), on the other hand (and therefore) not in all armies lowest general ranks with a star begins (in the armed forces major general without star, in the NVA with a star, in contrast to this in Portugal and/or France of the de Brigade with two stars).

For this reason the armed forces of the NATO member states agreed upon a code system of the ranks to the better comparability: The code OF-9 is assigned the four-star generals of most member states. Example: The German rank "“general"” the French rank d'Arme"” is on an equal footing, although the "“general"” has four stars on his shoulder piece, the d'Arme"” however five.

Examples

• The rank of the general field marshal of the armed forces (and/or colonel general in the rank of AP) was represented until 1940 with four stars (arranged in the square), later with crossed marshal staffs. In the NVA the GDR however four stars (linear among themselves arranged) distinguished "“only"” the army general, who corresponded thus however actually to the field marshal, since both ranks were the next higher stage above the colonel general.
• In US armed forces again the five-star general corresponds actually to the marshal and thus highest military rank, however only as a general OF the Army, army general thus, is designated. In the Air Force appropriate rank general OF is called the air Force, in the navy fleet admiral. These ranks are intended however only for the Kriegsfall. In contrast to this and/or carry army generals of the Soviet Union and/or Russia carried four stars on their shoulders.
• The marshal of France carries seven stars (arranged in the hexagon), without there is however a "“six-star general"”. In the first half 20. Century carried the military governor of the capital Paris however a sixth star. Marshal of France is today a particularly lent honour title and no active rank. Rank had been again introduced 1918 on special desire of the French army general Foch in the First World War, in order to put its priority out as a Commander-in-Chief of all allied ones at the west front also opposite the five-star US generals (Pershing) and British field marshals (Haig).

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