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[[Image:Martok.jpg|thumb|200px|Martok, a Klingon general.]]
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[[File:Krim_(General).jpg|thumb|Krim, a Bajoran general]]
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'''General''' was a military [[rank]], the equivalent of which was used by the service organizations of many civilizations. As a traditional grade, general was the most senior officer rank in the ground forces of a military organization. In comparison to naval ranking systems, this rank was equivalent to the [[admiral]] grade. The rank of [[marshal]] was usually considered senior to that of general.
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[[Image:Velal.jpg|thumb|200px|Velal, a Romulan general.]]
  
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[[Image:GeneralKrim.jpg|thumb|200px|Krim, a Bajoran general.]]
  
   
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== History ==
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'''General''' is a military [[rank]], the equivalent of which is used by the service organizations of many civilizations. As a traditional grade, general is the most senior flag officer rank of a fighting organization (the only rank senior to a general ever devised was [[marshal]]). In comparison to naval ranking systems, this rank is equivalent to the naval [[admiral]] rank, the [[Cardassian Union]]'s rank of [[legate]], or the [[Breen Confederacy]]'s rank of [[thot]].
  
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A general was by definition a [[military]] [[officer]] who was entrusted with the command of a large armed force, in most cases an [[army]] of [[soldier]]s. The concept of a "general officer" has been around for almost as long as [[war]]fare itself, with ancient interstellar empires, such as [[Tkon Empire]] and [[Slaver]]s, probably having some equivalent to this position in their military forces. ({{TAS|The Slaver Weapon}}; {{TNG|The Last Outpost}})
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{{clear}}
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== By culture ==
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=== Earth ===
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{|class="grey" width="200" align="right" style="font-size: 80%"
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!<center><big>'''Earth general insignia'''</big></center>
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|-
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|[[File:US o-10 rank pin.png|180px|center]]
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|-
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| style="text-align:center;" |[[United States military insignia|US military]]
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|-
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|[[File:Ekos General.png|175px|center]]
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|-
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| style="text-align:center;" |[[National Socialist Party|Nazi Germany]]
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|}
   
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The use of the rank of general on [[Earth]] can trace its origins to antiquity. In [[Mesopotamia]], for instance, there was at least one major battle in the year [[4th millennium BC|3834 BC]] which probably had several generals in attendance. ({{TOS|Requiem for Methuselah}})
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This grade exists in some form in many cultures' rank arrangements, such as [[Earth]]'s [[United States|American]] armed forces, Earth's [[MACO]]s, the [[Romulan Star Empire]], [[Andorian Imperial Guard]], [[Bajoran Militia]] and the [[Klingon Defense Force]].
  
   
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One of the better known ancient generals was [[Sun Tzu]] who led [[China|Chinese]] forces in the [[Medievalism|Middle Ages]]. Generals were also present in the militaries of [[Europe]] during the Middle Ages. Such generals usually charged military matters to various [[captain]]s, who had companies of soldiers under their command. ({{TNG|The Last Outpost}}; {{TNG|The Defector}})
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Many rank systems have several grades of the general officer rank, which include, in order from most senior: commander general, general, [[lieutenant general]], [[major general]] and brigadier general (also known simply as [[brigadier]]). Often, a founding hero of a nation will be given (sometimes posthumously) a special rank of general available to no other officer, such as "General of the Armies."
  
   
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In the [[18th century]], the militaries of Europe were mostly commanded by generals and marshals, such figures often dressing in elaborate uniforms adorned with various [[medals and awards]]. ({{TNG|Hide and Q}})
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On Earth, the title derives from the addition of the adjective "general" to a rank to denote that the holder has overall authority (e.g., Colonel General, Captain General, Lieutenant General, or Sergeant-Major General).
  
   
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On the [[planet]] [[Gothos]], the entity [[Trelane]] displayed himself as a [[19th century]] general and called himself "General Trelane, retired." ({{TOS|The Squire of Gothos}})
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==Earth Militaries==
  
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During the [[20th century]], the militaries of Earth were involved in several major [[war]]s, with generals commanding the many armies called upon to fight in these conflicts. By this time, various "grades" of the rank of general had come into being. In the [[United States armed forces]], the general insignia was comprised of various silver stars with a four-star general considered a "full" general.
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{{bginfo|The five-star ranks General of the Air Force and General of the Army also exist but were never seen on camera. The US military also maintains a supreme rank known as General of the Armies of the United States, often considered the equivalent to a six-star general. The only two people to ever be promoted to this rank are John J. Pershing, the "second" to hold the rank, and George Washington, who was promoted to it retroactively.}}
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The nation of [[Germany]] also used the rank of general, in particular during [[World War II]], when Germany fought as a major combatant in the conflict. The lowest general rank (''Generalmajor'') was denoted by a gold shoulder board. ({{ENT|Storm Front}})
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Some of the more famous Earth generals include:
 
*General of the Army [[Douglas MacArthur]] ([[US Army]])
  
*General of the Army [[Douglas MacArthur]] ([[US Army]])
 
*General [[Casey (General)|Casey]] ([[MACO]])
  
*General [[Casey (General)|Casey]] ([[MACO]])
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*General [[Antonio López de Santa Anna]] ([[Battle of the Alamo|Mexican Army]])
  
*General [[Antonio López de Santa Anna]] ([[Battle of the Alamo|Mexican Army]])
 
*General [[Norman Schwarzkopf]] (US Army)
  
*General [[Norman Schwarzkopf]] (US Army)
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*Lieutenant General [[George Washington]] ([[American Revolution|US Continential Army]]; posthumously promoted in 1976 to the rank of '''General of the Armies of the United States''')
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*Lieutenant General [[George Washington]] ([[American Revolution|US Continental Army]])
 
*Lieutenant General [[Rex Denning]] ([[US Army Air Corps]])
  
*Lieutenant General [[Rex Denning]] ([[US Army Air Corps]])
 
*Lieutenant General [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] (Union Army)
  
*Lieutenant General [[William Tecumseh Sherman]] (Union Army)
 
*Major General [[Georges Picard|Georges E. Picard]] ([[UESPA]])
  
*Major General [[Georges Picard|Georges E. Picard]] ([[UESPA]])
   
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==Klingon Defense Force==
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=== Ekos ===
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{|class="grey" width="200" align="right" style="font-size: 80%"
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!<center><big>'''Ekos insignia'''</big></center>
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|-
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|[[File:SSGeneralCollarPatch.jpg|75px|center]]
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|-
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| style="text-align:center;" |[[SS|Ekosian-SS]]
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|}
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German military insignia made an appearance three hundred years later on the planet [[Ekos]], when historian [[John Gill]] recreated a government based on [[Nazi]] Germany. This government had a military with generals using the same insignia as their 20th century counterparts, as well as [[SS]] generals who displayed rank in the form of collar patches. ({{TOS|Patterns of Force}})
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=== Other cultures ===
  ⚫
The [[Cardassian Union]]'s rank of [[legate]] and the [[Breen Confederacy]]'s rank of [[thot]] were both considered general rank equivalents. The grade also existed in the [[Romulan Star Empire]], [[Andorian Imperial Guard]], [[Bajoran Militia]], and the [[Klingon Defense Force]].
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  ⚫
Many rank systems had several grades of the general officer rank, which included general, [[lieutenant general]], [[major general]], and brigadier general (also known simply as [[brigadier]]).
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== Generals ==
  ⚫
[[File:Martok.jpg|thumb|Martok, a Klingon general]]
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[[File:Velal.jpg|thumb|Velal, a Romulan general]]
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=== Klingon ===
 
*General [[Chang (General)|Chang]]
  
*General [[Chang (General)|Chang]]
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*General [[Chu'vok]]
 
*General [[K'Trelan]]
  
*General [[K'Trelan]]
 
*General [[K'Vagh]]
  
*General [[K'Vagh]]
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*Brigadier [[Kerla]]
  
 
*General [[Korok (General)|Korok]]
  
*General [[Korok (General)|Korok]]
 
*General [[Korrd]]
  
*General [[Korrd]]
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*General [[Stex]]
  
*General [[Stex]]
 
*General [[Tanas]]
  
*General [[Tanas]]
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*General [[Torok]]
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*Brigadier [[Kerla]]
   
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==Romulan Military==
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=== Romulan ===
 
*General [[Movar]]
  
*General [[Movar]]
 
*General [[Velal]]
  
*General [[Velal]]
   
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==Other==
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=== Other ===
 
*General [[Gosis]]
  
*General [[Gosis]]
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*General [[Krim (General)|Krim]] ([[Bajoran]] militia)
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*General [[Hazar]] ([[Bajoran]] militia)
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*General [[Nassuc]] (Palamarian Freedom Brigade)
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*General {{dis|Krim|General}} (Bajoran militia)
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*General [[Thy'lek Shran]] ([[Andorian Imperial Guard]])
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*General [[Nassuc]] ([[Palamarian Freedom Brigade]])
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*General [[Thy'lek Shran]] ([[Andorian Imperial Guard]], [[alternate timeline]])
 
*General [[Ardelon Tandro]] ([[Klaestron]] military)
  
*General [[Ardelon Tandro]] ([[Klaestron]] military)
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*General [[Valen]] ([[Annarian]])
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*General [[Valen]] ([[Annari]])
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*General [[Yiri]] ([[Trelonian]] military)
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{{ranks}}
  
{{ranks}}
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==External link==
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* {{wikipedia}}
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[[de:General]]
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[[es:General]]
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[[fr:Général]]
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[[ja:大将]]
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[[nl:Generaal]]
 
[[Category:Military ranks]]
  
[[Category:Military ranks]]
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[[de:General]] [[nl:General]]
  

Revision as of 11:43, 13 December 2014

File:Krim (General).jpg

Krim, a Bajoran general

General was a military rank, the equivalent of which was used by the service organizations of many civilizations. As a traditional grade, general was the most senior officer rank in the ground forces of a military organization. In comparison to naval ranking systems, this rank was equivalent to the admiral grade. The rank of marshal was usually considered senior to that of general.

History

A general was by definition a military officer who was entrusted with the command of a large armed force, in most cases an army of soldiers. The concept of a "general officer" has been around for almost as long as warfare itself, with ancient interstellar empires, such as Tkon Empire and Slavers, probably having some equivalent to this position in their military forces. (TAS: "The Slaver Weapon"; TNG: "The Last Outpost")

By culture

Earth

Earth general insignia
File:US o-10 rank pin.png
US military
File:Ekos General.png
Nazi Germany

The use of the rank of general on Earth can trace its origins to antiquity. In Mesopotamia, for instance, there was at least one major battle in the year 3834 BC which probably had several generals in attendance. (TOS: "Requiem for Methuselah")

One of the better known ancient generals was Sun Tzu who led Chinese forces in the Middle Ages. Generals were also present in the militaries of Europe during the Middle Ages. Such generals usually charged military matters to various captains, who had companies of soldiers under their command. (TNG: "The Last Outpost"; TNG: "The Defector")

In the 18th century, the militaries of Europe were mostly commanded by generals and marshals, such figures often dressing in elaborate uniforms adorned with various medals and awards. (TNG: "Hide and Q")

On the planet Gothos, the entity Trelane displayed himself as a 19th century general and called himself "General Trelane, retired." (TOS: "The Squire of Gothos")

During the 20th century, the militaries of Earth were involved in several major wars, with generals commanding the many armies called upon to fight in these conflicts. By this time, various "grades" of the rank of general had come into being. In the United States armed forces, the general insignia was comprised of various silver stars with a four-star general considered a "full" general.

The five-star ranks General of the Air Force and General of the Army also exist but were never seen on camera. The US military also maintains a supreme rank known as General of the Armies of the United States, often considered the equivalent to a six-star general. The only two people to ever be promoted to this rank are John J. Pershing, the "second" to hold the rank, and George Washington, who was promoted to it retroactively.

The nation of Germany also used the rank of general, in particular during World War II, when Germany fought as a major combatant in the conflict. The lowest general rank (Generalmajor) was denoted by a gold shoulder board. (ENT: "Storm Front")

Some of the more famous Earth generals include:

Ekos

Ekos insignia
File:SSGeneralCollarPatch.jpg
Ekosian-SS

German military insignia made an appearance three hundred years later on the planet Ekos, when historian John Gill recreated a government based on Nazi Germany. This government had a military with generals using the same insignia as their 20th century counterparts, as well as SS generals who displayed rank in the form of collar patches. (TOS: "Patterns of Force")

Other cultures

The Cardassian Union's rank of legate and the Breen Confederacy's rank of thot were both considered general rank equivalents. The grade also existed in the Romulan Star Empire, Andorian Imperial Guard, Bajoran Militia, and the Klingon Defense Force.

Many rank systems had several grades of the general officer rank, which included general, lieutenant general, major general, and brigadier general (also known simply as brigadier).

Generals

Martok

Martok, a Klingon general

Velal

Velal, a Romulan general

Klingon

Romulan

Other

External link

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