Colonel general a three-star general and admiral. "Thượng tướng" is senior to "trung tướng" (usually translated as "lieutenant general") and junior to "đại tướng" (usually translated as "general"). It is used in the army and the air force. It is the equivalent to "đô đốc" (admiral) in the Navy. Colonel general Colonel general is a three or four-star rank in some armies, usually equivalent to that of a full general in other armies. North Korea and Russian Federation have used the rank in that fashion throughout their histories. The rank is also closely associated with Germany, where "Generaloberst" has formerly been a
General officers in the United States the Chief of Staff of the Army, who had been a major general, equal rank with the Chief of Naval Operations which had been a four-star position since 1916. Lieutenant Generals were reauthorized on 5 August 1939. Four Lieutenant Generals were authorized as temporary ranks for the commanding officers of the four numbered field armies at the time. The four-star rank of General remained unique to the Chief of Staff. During World War II most American Generals held temporary or “theater” appointments in the Army of the United States. Until the Second World War, the highest Marine Corps general rank