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Commanders of World War II

This article does not citeany references or sources. (November 2006)
Please help improve this articleby adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiablematerial may be challenged and removed. World War IIseries v • d • ePrecursorsAsian events · European events · Timelinev • d • eCampaigns of World War IIEurope
Poland – Phoney War – Finland – Denmark & Norway
France & Benelux – Britain– Eastern Front – North West Europe (1944–45)
The Mediterranean, Africaand The Middle East
Mediterranean Sea – East Africa – North Africa – West Africa 
Balkans (1939–41) – Middle East – Yugoslavia – Madagascar – Italy

Asia & The Pacific
China – Pacific Ocean – South-East Asia 
South West Pacific – Japan – Manchuria

Other Campaigns
Atlantic – Strategic Bombing – North America
Contemporaneous Wars
Chinese Civil – Soviet-Japanese Border – French-Thai - Anglo-Iraqi 
Invasion of Iran – Sino-Japanese – Ecuadorian-Peruvian 1939 · 1940 · 1941 · 1942 · 1943 · 1944 · 1945
Eastern front  · Battles  · Military operations  · Commanders
Technology  · Atlas of the World Battle Fronts  · Manhattan project
Aerial warfare  · Home front  · Collaboration  · Resistance Aftermath Casualties · Further effects · War crimes · Consequences of Nazism Depictions

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v • d • eWorld War II

Western Europe · Eastern Europe · Africa · Mediterranean · Asia and the Pacific · Atlantic

Major participants

Timeline

Aspects

To 1945 unless otherwise indicated.
Principal co-belligerents in italics.

Prelude
• Causes
• in Asia
• in Europe

1939
• Invasion of Poland
• Phoney War
• Winter War
• Battle of the Atlantic5

1940
• Denmark and Norway
• Battle of France
• Battle of Britain
• Libya and Egypt
• British Somaliland
• Baltic Occupation
• Bessarabia and Bukovina
• Invasion of Indochina
• Invasion of Greece

1941
• East Africa Campaign
• Invasion of Yugoslavia
• Invasion of the USSR
• Middle East campaign
• Siege of Leningrad
• Battle of Moscow
• Attack on Pearl Harbor

1942
• Battle of Midway
• Battle of Stalingrad
• 2nd Battle of El Alamein
• Operation Torch
• Guadalcanal Campaign

1943
• End in Africa
• Battle of Kursk
• Solomon Islands
• Invasion of Sicily
• Invasion of Italy5
• Gilbert and Marshall Islands

1944
• Cassino and Anzio
• Invasion of Normandy
• Mariana and Palau Islands
• Operation Bagration
• Battle of the Dnieper
• Warsaw Uprising
• Iassy-Kishinev Operation
• Liberation of Paris
• Operation Market Garden
• Operation Crossbow
• Operation Pointblank
• Battle of Leyte Gulf

1945
• Battle of Iwo Jima
• Battle of Okinawa
• Battle of Berlin
• Germany surrenders
• Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Japan surrenders

• List of military engagements

• Attacks on North America
• Blitzkrieg
• Comparative military ranks
• Cryptography
• Home front
• Military awards
• Military equipment
• Military production
• Nazi plunder
• Resistance
• Technology
• Total war

Aftermath /consequences
• Effects/Casualties
• Expulsion of Germans
• Operation Paperclip
• Occupation of Germany
• Morgenthau plan
• Territorial changes
• Occupation of Japan
• Franco-Vietnamese War
• Cold War
• in contemporary culture

Civilian impact / atrocities
• Allied war crimes
• German war crimes
• Italian war crimes
• Japanese war crimes
• Soviet war crimes
• The Holocaust
• Bombing of civilians

AlliesAxis

at war from 1937
 China

entered 1939
 Czechoslovakia
 Poland
 UK
 India
 France
 Australia
 New Zealand
 South Africa
 Canada

entered 1940
 Norway
 Belgium
 Netherlands
 Greece

entered 1941
 Yugoslavia
 USSR
 USA

entered 1942
 Mexico
 Brazil

entered 1943
 Italy  

entered 1944
 Romania
 Bulgaria
 Finland

• others

at war from 1937
 Japan

entered 1939
 Germany
 Slovakia

entered 1940
 Italy  to 1943

entered 1941
 Bulgaria  to 1944
Croatia
Finland  to 1944
 Hungary
 Iraq  to 1941
 Romania  to 1944

entered 1942
 Thailand

entered 1943
 RSI

• others

• Allied Leaders
• Axis Leaders
• Commanders

Resistance movements

Austria · Baltic1 · Czech lands · Denmark · Ethiopia
France · Germany2 · Greece · Italy
Jewish2 · Korea · Netherlands · Moldavia2
Norway · Poland · Thailand · Soviet Union
Slovakia4 · Ukraine3 · Vietnam
Yugoslavia · others

Lists

Category · Topics
Conferences

1 Anti-Soviet.
2 Anti-Soviet and anti-Nazi.
3 Anti-Nazi, anti-Polish, and anti-Soviet.
4 Anti-Magyar, anti-Nazi, and anti-Soviet.
5 Lasted to May 1945.

 World War IIat Wiktionary  WWII textbooksat Wikibooks      WWII quotesat Wikiquote  WWII source textsat Wikisource       WWII mediaat Commons  WWII news storiesat Wikinews  

The Commanders of World War II were for the most part career officers. They were forced to adapt to new technologies and shaped the direction of modern warfare. Some political leaders, particularly those of the principal dictatorships involved in the conflict, Adolf Hitler (Germany), Joseph Stalin (Soviet Union) and Benito Mussolini (Italy), acted as supreme military commanders as well as civil commanders of their respective countries or empires. .[1]

Contents

• 1 Military commanders
  • 1.1 Allied Powers
    • 1.1.1 United Kingdom
    • 1.1.2 United States
    • 1.1.3 Soviet Union
    • 1.1.4 Czechoslovakia
    • 1.1.5 Poland
    • 1.1.6 France
    • 1.1.7 Republic of China
    • 1.1.8 Greece
    • 1.1.9 Netherlands
    • 1.1.10 Yugoslavia
    • 1.1.11 Canada
  • 1.2 Axis Powers
    • 1.2.1 Germany
    • 1.2.2 Italy
    • 1.2.3 Japan
    • 1.2.4 Thailand
    • 1.2.5 Finland
    • 1.2.6 Romania
    • 1.2.7 Slovakia
    • 1.2.8 Azad Hind
  • 1.3 Others
    • 1.3.1 Burma
    • 1.3.2 Ukraine
• 2 See also
• 3 References

Military commanders

Allied Powers

United Kingdom

Armed Force Name Highest Rank
held during WW2 Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Alan BrookeField Marshal1st Viscount AlanbrookeChancellor of Queen's University Belfast.

• Second (II Corps) British Expeditionary Force
• CIGS

Commanded the II corps of the British Expeditionary Force at the Battle of France. Later served as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff.[1]Bernard MontgomeryField Marshal1st Viscount of El Alamein, Knight of the Garter. Served as CIGS, and deputy leader of NATO.

• Battle of France
• North African campaign
• Sicily
• Western Campaign, 1944
• Arnhem

A veteran of the Irish War of Independence, entered the Second World War as part of the British Expeditionary Force, defending France. Was part of the evacuation of Dunkirk. Won the Battle of El Alameinand the Battle of Sicilybefore heading the British Forces at the Battle of Normandyand the rest of the Western Campaign.[1][2]Harold AlexanderField Marshal1st Earl of Tunis. Governor General of Canada.

• Battle of Dunkirk
• North African Campaign
• Battle of Tunisia
• Allied invasion of Italy

The last British soldier to evacuate Dunkirk, replaced Auchinleck from command at North Africa, and turned the tide in the allies favour. After defeating the Germans in North Africa, staged a successful invasion of Italy, liberating it in 1944/5.[1]Archibald WavellField Marshal1st Earl Wavell Viceroy of India, returned to England in 1947 and became High Steward of Colchester.

• North African campaign
• East African Campaign
• Anglo-Iraqi War
• Commander-in-Chief in India
• ABDACOM

Commander-in-Chief of British Forces in the Middle East 1939–1941. Commander-in-Chief in India 1941–1942. Commander of ABDACOM 1942. Commander-in-Chief in India 1942–1943. Viceroy of India 1943-1947.[1]John VerekerField Marshal6th Viscount Gort. Holder of the Victoria Cross(World War I). Died in 1946.

• Battle of France
• Battle of Dunkirk
• Battle of Malta

A world war I hero, he played a major role in mobilising and arming the British forces during the Phony War. He took command of the British Expeditionary Forcefor the German invasion of France, and despite courageous fighting, was overwhelmed by German military tactics. When his troops were trapped in Dunkirk, he disobeyed orders from French and British command to attack and decided to evacuate, a decision which saved the lives of over 300,000 soldiers.[1]Claude AuchinleckGeneralOrder of the BathCommander-in-Chief, India

• Norwegian campaign
• North African campaign

Organised the Home Guard to protect against Operation Sealion. A quick response to the Iraq revolt impressed Churchill, who appointed him Commander-in-Chief of the North Africa forces. Frequent disagreements with British command, coupled with significant loss of territory against Rommel (with the exception of Tobruk), forced him to be reassigned back to India. He fared better in this theatre, successfully mobilising Indian forces against the Burma invasion.[1]Air Force Charles PortalMarshal of the Royal Air ForceDistinguished Flying Cross,[1]1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford. Chairman of British Aircraft Corporation.[2]

• Battle of Britain
• Battle of Normandy
• Strategic bombing of Germany

Held back the Luftwaffeat the Battle of Britain. Continually launched air raids against Germany.[1]Arthur HarrisAir Chief Marshal1st Baronet of Chipping Wycombe Manager of the South African Marine Corporation

• Strategic bombing of Germany

Vigorously prosecuted the strategic air campaign against Germany. Hugh DowdingAir Chief Marshal1st Baron Dowding of Bentley Priory

• Battle of Britain

Royal Navy Dudley PoundAdmiral of the FleetKnight of the British Empire Died of illness, October 1943.

• Battle of Atlantic

First Sea Lord1939-1943.[1]Andrew CunninghamAdmiral of the FleetDistinguished Service Order, 1st Viscount of Hyndhope

• Battle of Crete
• Battle of Taranto
• Battle of Cape Matapan
• Siege of Malta

First Sea Lord1943-1946.[1]

United States

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army George MarshallGeneral of the ArmyDistinguished Service Medal, Silver Star, GCB Established the Marshall Plan, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize.

• Home Front

Mentored by General Pershing. Led the rapid growth of US forces, co-ordinated the Western Allies and promoted postwar reconstruction of Europe.[1]Dwight D EisenhowerGeneral of the ArmyDistinguished Service Medal, Medal of Honor (offered). After liberating Europe, served as NATO head before being elected the 34th President of the United States.

• Operation Torch
• Battle of Sicily
• Battle of Italy
• Battle of Normandy
• Western Front (World War II)

Entered the war as an assistant to the more senior Officers MacArthurand George Patton, showed his worth as a commander during the North Africa Campaign, before being chosen by Roosevelt to head the liberation of Europe on the Western Front as commander of SHAEF.[1]Omar BradleyGeneral of the ArmyDistinguished Service Medal (Army and Navy). Became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

• Battle of Sicily
• Battle of Normandy
• Western Front (World War II)

This former infantry school instructor entered the war under Patton, and towards the end of the war, led a force of over 1.3 million troops (America's largest to serve under one man).[1]George S. PattonGeneralDistinguished Service Cross Died in a road accident 4 months after the end of the war.

• Operation Torch
• Battle of Tunis
• Battle of Sicily
• Operation Cobra
• Falaise pocket
• Battle of the Bulge
• German and Czechoslovakian invasion

An aggressive general whose ferocious military thrusts earned him admiration and respect from all participants in the war (and at times endangered his military career). Successfully used the German tactic of armored blitzkriegagainst the Germans.[1]Douglas MacArthurGeneral of the ArmyMedal of Honor, Philippine Medal of ValorTasked with rebuilding Japan after the war. Later involved in the Korean War.

• Battle of the Philippines
• Southwest Pacific Area
• Battle of Leyte
• Battle of Leyte Gulf

Recalled from retirement prior to the start of the Pacific war, was disappointed to relinquish the Philippines to the Japanese. Promising to return, he did so in 1945 and whilst in Manila, prepared for war in Japan itself.[1]Navy Ernest KingFleet AdmiralNavy CrossRetired on December 15, 1945.

• Battle of Atlantic

[1]United States Chief of Naval Operations. Chester NimitzFleet AdmiralDistinguished Service Medal Served as Chief of Naval Operations.

• Battle of Coral Sea
• Battle of Midway
• Solomon Islands Campaign
• Battle of the Philippine Sea
• Battle of Leyte Gulf
• Battle of Iwo Jima
• Battle of Okinawa

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, took command of the Pacific Ocean areas, and turned around USA's fortunes in the Battle of Midway. Closed the war with operations in the Leyte Gulf and Okinawa.[1]William Halsey, Jr.Fleet AdmiralNavy CrossRetired 1947.

• Solomon Islands Campaign
• Guadalcanal campaign
• Battle of Leyte Gulf

Commander of South Pacific Area1942-1944. Commander of United States Third Fleet1944-1945.[1][3]Frank Jack FletcherVice AdmiralMedal of HonorChairman of the General Board, retired in 1947.

• Battle of Coral Sea
• Battle of Midway
• Battle of the Eastern Solomons

Sunk 6 enemy carriers. In November 1942, he became Commander, Thirteenth Naval District and Commander, Northwestern Sea Frontier. A year later, he was placed in charge of the Northern Pacific area [according to Oxford companion to second world war, this occurred in October 1942].[1]Air Force Henry ArnoldGeneral of the Air ForceDistinguished Service Cross  Head of the USAAF[1]Member of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Combined Chiefs of Staff committees.[1]Ira Clarence EakerLieutenant GeneralLegion of Merit, Distinguished Service Medal(Army, Navy and Air Force) Became deputy commander of the Army Air Forces until retirement in 1947.

• North African Campaign
• Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission

Commander of the 8th US Bomber command.[1]Carl SpaatzGeneralDistinguished Service CrossReplaced Arnold in September 1947 to become chief of the US Air Force.

• North African Campaign (Air support)
• Normandy campaign (Air support)

One of the pioneers of US military aviation, Spaatz advocated the use of scientific analysis to bombing raids, and made effective use of long range fighters, tactics which helped the Allies achieve air superiority over Europe.[1]

Soviet Union

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Georgy ZhukovMarshal of the Soviet UnionTwice an Order of Victory, four times Hero of the Soviet UnionBecame Soviet member of the Allied Control Council for Germany.

• Siege of Leningrad
• Battle of Moscow
• Battle of Stalingrad (Battles of Rzhev)
• Operation Bagration
• Battle of Berlin
• Eastern Front

Successfully led the defence of Moscow and later relieved Leningrad. After vying with Rokossovsky for overall command, he led all Soviet armies in the closing stages of the war and at the Battle for Berlin.[1]Konstantin RokossovskyMarshal of the Soviet Union, Marshal of PolandOrder of Victory, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Polish Defense Minister

• Battle of Moscow
• Battle of Stalingrad
• Battle of Kursk
• Battle of the Lower Dnieper
• Eastern Front

Decisive role in the Battle for Moscow, led encirclement forces at Stalingrad, broke German counter-attack at Kursk, advanced into Poland and eventually linked up with the Americans at Wismar.[1]Aleksandr VasilevskyMarshal of the Soviet UnionTwice an Order of Victory, twice Hero of the Soviet Union. Soviet Defence Minister

• Battle of Moscow
• Second Battle of Kharkov
• Battle of Stalingrad - Operation Uranus
• Battle of the Lower Dnieper
• Operation Bagration
• Operation August Storm (Battle of Manchuria)
• Eastern Front

Stalin's strategic specialist who planned and carried through many successful Soviet operations as overall commander, particularly the encirclement at Stalingrad and the grand plan for Bagration. Commander-in-Chief of Soviet Forces in the Far East during Operation August Storm.[1]Boris ShaposhnikovMarshal of the Soviet UnionCommandant of the Voroshilov Military Academy. Died in 1945.

• Invasion of Poland
• Winter War
• Eastern Front

Chief of the General Staff 1937-1940, 1941-1942. Organized pre-war build up of the Red Army. Nikolai VatutinGeneral of the ArmyHero of the Soviet UnionKilled by the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.

• Battle of Moscow
• Voronezh Front
• Battle of Kursk
• Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket

Deputy of the Chief of the General Staff of the Red Army. Decisive Soviet commander at Kursk, outmanoeuvered German commander Manstein and later routed German forces in Korsun salient.[1][Alternate reference needed] Ivan KonevMarshal of the Soviet UnionOrder of Victory, Hero of the Soviet UnionAppointed head of the Soviet forces in East Germany.

• Kalinin Front
• Battle of Kursk
• Belgorod
• Odessa
• Kharkov
• Kiev
• Vistula-Oder Offensive

[1]Semyon TimoshenkoMarshal of the Soviet UnionOrder of Victory, twice a Hero of the Soviet Union. Soviet Army commander in Belarus  

• Invasion of Poland
• Winter War
• Battle of Smolensk
• Second Battle of Kharkov

  Soviet Navy Nikolai KuznetsovAdmiral of the Fleet of the Soviet UnionHero of the Soviet UnionDeputy Minister of the USSR Armed Forces and Commander-in-Chief of the Naval Forces.

• Barbarossa (Soviet naval defence)
• Battle of the Caucasus
• Eastern Front

Soviet Aviation Alexander NovikovChief Marshal of Aviation of the Soviet UnionTwo times Hero of the Soviet UnionCommander-in-Chief of the Air Forces of the Soviet Union
Chief of the High school of civil aviation

• Barbarossa (Soviet air forces)
• Eastern Front

Czechoslovakia

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Ludvík SvobodaGeneralPeople's Hero of Yugoslavia, Hero of the Soviet UnionLater presidentof the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic.

• Eastern Front

Commander of the Czechoslovak military units on the Eastern frontJán GolianBrigadier GeneralCzechoslovak War CrossExecuted by the Germansin a concentration campin Flossenburg.

• Slovak National Uprising

Led the insurgent Slovak Armyduring the Slovak National Uprising.

Poland

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Edward Rydz-ŚmigłyMarshal of PolandOrder of the White EagleSuffered heart attack before he could participate in the Polish resistance.

• Invasion of Poland (1939)

Was commander-in-chief of Poland during its invasion by German and Russian troops. [1]Władysław SikorskiGeneralOrder of the White EagleDied in plane crash July 1943.

• Invasion of Poland (1939)
• Polish Armed Forces in the West

Served as Commander-in-Chief of the Polish government in exile, and formed the Polish Armed Forces.[1]Władysław AndersGeneralOrder Virtuti MilitariBecame Inspector-Generalof the Polish Armed Forces in Exile.

• Battle of Monte Cassino

Founder & commander of the Polish Forces Armed in Iran (1942), better known as Anders Army.[1]Michał Rola-ŻymierskiMarshal of PolandOrder of the White EagleHe was a member of the Polish United Workers Party

• Polish Armed Forces in the East.

Was commander-in-chief of the Polish Army fighting alongside the Soviet Union. [1]Tadeusz Bór-KomorowskiLieutenant GeneralOrder of the White EagleElected Prime Minister of Polish government in Exile.

• Polish Resistance
• Warsaw Uprising

Commanded the main part of the Warsaw Uprising.[1]

France

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Charles de GaulleGénéral de BrigadeGrand Master Legion of HonorTook control of France as President and was instrumental in creating the Fifth French Republic.

• Battle of France
• West African Campaign
• Normandy Campaign
• Liberation of Paris

Defied Vichy France by vowing to continue fighting after the French surrender. He headed with de Tassigny the Free French Forces, who assisted the Allies in the liberation of France in 1944.[1]Jean de Lattre de TassignyMarshal of FranceGrand Master Legion of HonorLater commanded French troops in the First Indochina War.

• Battle of France
• West African Campaign
• Normandy Campaign
• Liberation of Paris

Defied Vichy France by vowing to continue fighting after the French surrender. He headed with Charles de Gaulle the Free French Forces, who assisted the Allies in the liberation of France in 1944.[1]Maurice GamelinGénéral d'ArméeDied in 1958.

• Battle of France

Commander-in-Chief of French army during Battle of France, was replaced in 20 May1940.[1]Maxime WeygandImage:Weygand-1.jpgGeneral  Arrested on charges of treason but acquitted.  

• Battle of France

Commander-in-Chief of French army during the Battle of France from 20 May1940until the surrender of France. Oversaw the creation of the Weygand line, an early application of the Hedgehog tactic.[1]French Navy François DarlanAdmiral of the Fleet  Murdered by Bonnier de La Chapelle December 1942.  

• Mers-el-Kébir
• Operation Torch

Built up the French Navy to prepare for war, only to see it destroyed by the British Navy. Served the Vichy France government and was tipped to become Pétain's successor. Was commander of Vichy French forces in Operation Torch. After arranging a ceasefire, he defected to the Allied side.[1]

Republic of China

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Chiang Kai-shekGeneralissimo  After the war against Japan, resumed civil waragainst the communists. Retreated to Taiwan and led the Kuomintang(KMT) government there until his death.  

• Supreme Leader of the China Front

Was both the head of the Republic of Chinaand the supreme Allied commander in the China Theatre. Led the nation to total war from his temporary capital at Chongqing. Mao ZedongHead of the Communist Party of China  Defeated the Kuomintang in the civil warand established the People's Republic of China.  

• Organized resistance in Japanese-held territories

Greatly expanded communist base areas during the war, and eventually usurped control of China from Kuomintang.[1]Yan XishanGeneral  Fought on the side of the Republic of China in the civil war.  

• Battle of Taiyuan
• Battle of Xinkou

Warlord of Shanxi  Chen ChengGeneral  Became the Chief of the general staff  

• Battle of Shanghai
• Battle of Wuhan
• Battle of Changsha
• Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
• Burma theatre

  Zhu DeGeneral  Became the commander-in-chiefof the People's Liberation Army.  

• Hundred Regiments Offensive

Military leader of the communistEighth Route Army. Xue YueGeneral  Fought on the side of the Republic of China in the civil war.  

• Battle of Wuhan
• Battle of Nanchang
• 2nd Battle of Changsha
• 3rd Battle of Changsha
• 4th Battle of Changsha

 

Greece

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Alexander PapagosLieutenant GeneralDeported to Dachau Concentration Camp, led Greek army in Greek Civil War, later Field Marshaland Prime Minister of Greece.

• Greco-Italian War
• Battle of Greece

Commander-in-Chief of the Greek Army in 1940-41.[1]Aris VelouchiotisCorporalCommitted suicide after the Second World War.

• Greek Resistance

Founder and chief leader of the Greek People's Liberation Army. Stefanos SarafisColonelLater MP for the United Democratic Left, died in a car accident in 1957.

• Greek Resistance

Military leader of the Greek People's Liberation Armyafter April 1943. Napoleon ZervasColonelTwice minister, died in 1957.

• Greek Resistance

Commander of the National Republican Greek Leagueresistance army. Navy Alexandros Sakellariou Vice AdmiralMP, Navy and National Defense Minister after the war. Died in 1982.

• Greco-Italian War
• Mediterranean Theatre

Chief of staffof the Royal Hellenic Navy1940-41, Navy Minister in exile, 1941-44

Netherlands

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Henri WinkelmanGeneralOrder of WilliamDied in 1952.

• Battle of the Netherlands

Was Commander-in-Chief of the Netherlands army during the Battle of the Netherlands.[1]Hein ter PoortenLieutenant GeneralDied in 1968.

• Netherlands East Indies campaign
• Battle of Java (1942)

Commander of the ABDAland forces in early 1942. Navy Conrad HelfrichVice admiralDied in 1962.

• Netherlands East Indies campaign

Commander of the ABDANaval forces in 1942. Karel DoormanRear admiralDied in Battle of the Java Sea.

• Netherlands East Indies campaign

Commander of the combined American, British, Dutch and Australian (ABDA) fleet in the Dutch East Indies.[1]

Yugoslavia

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Josip Broz TitoMarshal of YugoslaviaOrder of the National HeroPresident of Yugoslavia.

• People's Liberation War

Led the People's Liberation Army.[1]Draža MihailovićGeneralLegion of MeritExecuted by the Communist regimein 1946.

• Yugoslav Front (WWII)

Commander of the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland.

Canada

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Henry CrerarGeneralVenerable Order of Saint JohnBecame a diplomat

• Invasion of Normandy

De facto commander-in-chiefof the Canadian military.[1]Guy SimondsGeneralOrder of the BathChief of the General Staff

• Operation Market Garden
• Battle of the Scheldt

Devised the Kangarooarmoured personnel carrier.[1]Andrew McNaughtonGeneralOrder of the Companions of HonourFirst President of the United Nations Security Council

• Dieppe Raid
• Minister of National Defense

Grandfather of Lieutenant-GeneralAndrew Leslieof Canada.[1]

Axis Powers

Germany

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Wilhelm KeitelField MarshalExecuted in 1946.

• Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

Chief of the OKW during World War II.[1]Alfred JodlColonel GeneralExecuted in 1946.

• Oberkommando der Wehrmacht

Chief of the Operations Staff of the OKW.[1]Walther von BrauchitschField MarshalDied in 1948.

• Oberkommando des Heeres

Commander-in-Chief of Wehrmacht 1938-1941. Gerd von RundstedtField MarshalKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves and Swords[4]Died in 1953.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Operation Barbarossa (Army Group South).
• Battle of Uman[5]
• Battle of Kiev (1941)
• Operation Market Garden
• Battle of the Bulge

A Kriegsakademiegraduate of the Prussiannobility, and a major World War I veteran, Rundstedt distinguished himself as commander of numerous fronts of World War II including the Westernand Easternfronts of Europe.[1]Fedor von BockField MarshalWas killed in bombing raid in 1945.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Battle of the Netherlands
• Operation Barbarossa
• Battle of Białystok-Minsk
• Battle of Moscow
• Second Battle of Kharkov

Recipient of the Pour le Méritefrom World War I, rose rapidly in rank to Field marshal by the Fall of France. Took command of Army Group Centre, whose Panzer Groups penetrated the furthest into Russia.[1]Erich von MansteinField MarshalKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves and Swords[4]Imprisoned after war, later released and served as senior advisor of Bundeswehr.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Operation Barbarossa
• Battle of Sevastopol
• Battle of Stalingrad
• Third Battle of Kharkov
• Battle of Kursk
• Battle of the Dnieper

The master of mobile battle, authored the original Sichelschnitt plan, a plan which enabled Germany to capture France with minimal casualties.[1]Erwin RommelField MarshalKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds[4]Committed suicide in 1944.

• Battle of France
• Battle of Gazala
• Siege of Tobruk
• First Battle of El Alamein
• Second Battle of El Alamein
• Battle of the Kasserine Pass
• Battle of Medenine
• Battle of Normandy

A legend in his own time, The Desert Fox headed the German campaign of North Africa. he made an immediate impact in the Saharan desert, conquering all of West Africa and threatening to reach Suez. Due to a number of factors such as stretching supply lines and the reinforcement of Allied military power (both in Morroco and Egypt) turned the tide in the favour of the Allies, and his forces were routed in the Battle of Tunisiain 1943. Before he could counterattack, German high command reassigned him to defend the Atlantic Wall. Poor intelligence and overmanipulation by the Wehrmacht made led to the allied invasion of Normandy, which Rommel failed to stop. Though typically linked to the assassination of Hitler, Rommel probably did not take part in the July Plotas he did not want future generations to think that the Axis lost the war due to backstabbing. Nevertheless, Rommel had to commit suicide, lest he face a mock-trial which would have surely ended in the death of him, his family and his aides.[1]Walter ModelField MarshalKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds[4]Committed suicide in 1945.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Operation Barbarossa
• Battle of Moscow
• Battle of Kursk
• Battle of Narva
• Operation Market Garden
• Battle of the Bulge

German Army officer whose expertise in defensive warfare earned him the nickname of the 'Führer's fireman'[1]Heinz GuderianColonel GeneralKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves[4]Died in 1954.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Operation Barbarossa
• Battle of Moscow
• Oberkommando des Heeres

Main creator of Blitzkriegtactics. Chief of OKH General Staff 1944-1945.[1]Air force Hermann GöringReichsmarschallGrand Cross of the Iron Cross[4]Committed suicide in 1946.

• Oberkommando der Luftwaffe

Commander-in-Chief of Luftwaffe 1935-1945.[1]Albert KesselringImage:AAKesselring.jpgField MarshalKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oakleaves, Swords and Diamonds[4]Died in 1960 at the age of 75.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Battle of Britain
• Operation Shingle
• Battle of Monte Cassino

Was Commander in Chief of Luftwaffe South (1941-1943), then South-west (1943-1945), then West Europe (1945)[1]Wolfram von RichthofenField MarshalKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves[4]Died in 1945.

• Invasion of Poland
• Battle of France
• Battle of Britain
• Battle of Greece
• Operation Barbarossa
• Battle of Stalingrad

Navy Erich RaederGrand AdmiralKnight's Cross of the Iron CrossDied in 1960.

• Oberkommando der Marine
• Operation Weserübung
• Battle of the Atlantic

Commander-in-Chief of Kriegsmarine 1936-1943.[1]Karl DönitzGrand AdmiralKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves[4]Briefly became President of Germany. Spent 10 years in prison. Died in 1980.

• Oberkommando der Marine
• Battle of the Atlantic

Commander-in-Chief of Kriegsmarine 1943-1945.[1]

Italy

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Pietro BadoglioMarshal of ItalyDuke of Addis Abeba Succeeded Mussolini and arranged an Armistice of his country with the Allies. Was not in favour of Italy's alliance to Germany, and resigned after the Battle of Greece.[1]Ugo CavalleroMarshal of ItalyCommitted suicide after alienating both Germany and non-fascist Italy.

• Battle of Greece
• North African Campaign

Chief of the Italian Supreme Command 1940-1943.[1]Giovanni MesseMarshal of ItalyBecame a member of the Italian Senate.

• Greco-Italian War
• North African Campaign

Navy Arturo RiccardiAdmiralRemoved from office by Badoglio

• Battle of the Mediterranean

Served as Chief of staffof the Italian Navy.

Japan

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Hideki TojoGeneralExecuted in 1948.

• Operation Chahar
• Supreme War Council

Prime minister of Japan 1941-1944 was also a military commander. Chief of the Army General Staff in 1944.[1]Hajime SugiyamaField MarshalCommitted suicide shortly after the end of the war.

• Supreme War Council

Chief of the Army General Staff 1940-1944.[1]Kotohito Kan'inField MarshalDied in 1945

• Supreme War Council

Chief of staff of the Army, 1931-1940 Hisaichi TerauchiField MarshalOrder of the Rising SunDied in a prisoner of war camp in Malaya June 1946.

• North China Area Army
• Southern Expeditionary Army Group

Son of former PM Terauchi Masatake, became the senior officer of the Imperial Japanese after the coup of 1936. Was at one time considered as Tojo successor after the latter's resignation. Shunroku HataField MarshalSentenced to imprisonment.

• Battle of Wuhan
• Battle of Henan-Hunan-Guangxi

  Tomoyuki YamashitaGeneralExecuted at 1946.

• Battle of Malaya
• Battle of Singapore
• Battle of Leyte
• Battle of Luzon

Defender of the Philippines against MacArthur.[1]Iwane Matsui[citation needed] GeneralRetired 1938, executed in 1948.

• Battle of Shanghai
• Battle of Nanjing

  Navy Osami NaganoFleet AdmiralDied of a heart attack in 1947.

• Supreme War Council
• Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff

Chief of the Navy General Staff, 1941-1944. Hiroyasu FushimiFleet AdmiralDied in 1946.

• Supreme War Council
• Imperial Japanese Navy General Staff

Chief of staff of the Navy, 1932-1941. Isoroku YamamotoFleet AdmiralOrder of the ChrysanthemumShot down by USA in 1943. Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1939-1943.[1]Mineichi KogaFleet AdmiralKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak Leaves[4]Killed in plane crash 1944.

• Battle of Hong Kong

Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1943-1944.[1]Soemu ToyodaFleet AdmiralDied in 1957 at the age of 73.

• Supreme War Council

Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Japanese Navy 1944-1945, Chief of staff of the Navy 1945.[1]Chuichi NagumoVice AdmiralOrder of the Rising SunCommitted suicude in 1944 during the battle of Saipan.

• Attack on Pearl Harbor
• Indian Ocean raid
• Bombing of Darwin
• Battle of Midway
• Battle of the Eastern Solomons
• Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands

Torpedo specialist and commander of the Carrier Striking Task Forcethat attacked Pearl Harbor. Successful raids at Darwin and the Indian Ocean were reversed at the Battle of Midway. Although he had tactical victories in the Guadalcanal campaigns, his battle strength was severely depleted, and was switched to the defence of the Mariana Islands.[1]Jisaburo OzawaAdmiralDied in 1966.

• Battle of the Philippine Sea
• Battle of Leyte Gulf

Replaced Toyoda in 1945 to become Commander in Chief of the Japanese Combined Fleet[1]

Thailand

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Plaek PibulsonggramField MarshalLater ousted after the defeat of the Japanese, only to return to power in 1948and become Prime Ministeruntil 1957.

• French-Thai War

Prime Ministerand dictator of Thailandduring the war, eventually commanding Thai forces during the French-Thai War.

Finland

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Carl Gustaf Emil MannerheimMarshal of FinlandMannerheim CrossSucceeded Risto Ryti as President of Finland

• Winter War
• Continuation War
• Lapland War

Was Commander-in-Chief of Finnish army during World War II. Organised the Mannerheim Line in the Karelian Peninsula.[1]Karl Lennart OeschLieutenant GeneralMannerheim CrossDied in 1978

• Fourth strategic offensive
• Battle of Tali-Ihantala

Was one of the most important Finnish generals. Two-thirds of the Finnish ground forces were under his command at the end of the Continuation War.

Romania

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Ion AntonescuMarshal of Romania Executed in 1946.

• Operation Barbarossa

Took control of Romania when Carol IIabdicated, and established a fascist dictatorship with the Iron Guard Party. Acted as Commander-in-Chief of the Romanian Army and Conducătorof Romania, recapturing Bessarabia and northern Bucovia, then appointed himself marshal. When his forces were decimated at Stalingrad, he started negotiating for peace. His career ended in 1944 when he was arrested by King Michael, who signed an armistice with the Allies.[1]Petre DumitrescuGeneralKnight's Cross of the Iron Cross with Oak LeavesDied in 1950.

• Operation Barbarossa
• Battle of Stalingrad

Slovakia

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Ferdinand ČatlošMajor GeneralWas briefly imprisoned, set free in 1948, died in 1972.

• Invasion of Poland
• Operation Barbarossa
• Slovak National Uprising

Slovakian Minister of Defence and Chief General Staff.

Azad Hind

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Subhas Chandra BoseSupreme Commander of the Indian National ArmyDied under mysterious circumstances.

• Burma Campaign

Led the Indian National Army. Mohan Singh DebGeneralBecame a member of the Rajya Sabha.

• Burma Campaign

First commander-in-chief of the Indian National Army. Shah Nawaz KhanMajorBecame a member of the Lok Sabha.

• Battle of Imphal

Led the 1st Guerrila Detachment of the INA. Lakshmi SahgalCaptainBecame a prominent leftistpolitician.

• Battle of Imphal

Commander of the all-female Rani of Jhansiregiment.

Others

Burma

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Aung SanMajor GeneralArranged for the establishment of Burmese independence, assassinated under mysterious causes in 1947.

• Burma Campaign

Led the Burma National Armyand the Anti-Fascist Organisation.

Ukraine

Armed Force Name Highest Rank Highest Award Fate Casualties inflicted Theatres / Battles Army Roman ShukhevychGeneralGold Cross of Combat Merit, First Class Died fighting NKVDforces in Lvivin 1950. Supreme commander of the Ukrainian Insurgent Army.

See also

Allied leaders of World War II
Axis leaders of World War II

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br (2005) Oxford Companion to the Second World War, paperback, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-1928-0666-1. 
2. ^ Lord Ismay (2001). NATO, the first 5 years. NATO archives. 
3. ^ Fleet Admiral Halsey Jr Profile at Naval Historical center. Retrieved on 2007-01-03.
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j List of Knight's Cross recipients
5. ^ Marcus Wendel's Axis history site. Retrieved on 2007-01-06.

v • d • eWorld War II

Western Europe · Eastern Europe · Africa · Mediterranean · Asia and the Pacific · Atlantic

Major participants

Timeline

Aspects

To 1945 unless otherwise indicated.
Principal co-belligerents in italics.

Prelude
• Causes
• in Asia
• in Europe

1939
• Invasion of Poland
• Phoney War
• Winter War
• Battle of the Atlantic5

1940
• Denmark and Norway
• Battle of France
• Battle of Britain
• Libya and Egypt
• British Somaliland
• Baltic Occupation
• Bessarabia and Bukovina
• Invasion of Indochina
• Invasion of Greece

1941
• East Africa Campaign
• Invasion of Yugoslavia
• Invasion of the USSR
• Middle East campaign
• Siege of Leningrad
• Battle of Moscow
• Attack on Pearl Harbor

1942
• Battle of Midway
• Battle of Stalingrad
• 2nd Battle of El Alamein
• Operation Torch
• Guadalcanal Campaign

1943
• End in Africa
• Battle of Kursk
• Solomon Islands
• Invasion of Sicily
• Invasion of Italy5
• Gilbert and Marshall Islands

1944
• Cassino and Anzio
• Invasion of Normandy
• Mariana and Palau Islands
• Operation Bagration
• Battle of the Dnieper
• Warsaw Uprising
• Iassy-Kishinev Operation
• Liberation of Paris
• Operation Market Garden
• Operation Crossbow
• Operation Pointblank
• Battle of Leyte Gulf

1945
• Battle of Iwo Jima
• Battle of Okinawa
• Battle of Berlin
• Germany surrenders
• Hiroshima and Nagasaki
• Japan surrenders

• List of military engagements

• Attacks on North America
• Blitzkrieg
• Comparative military ranks
• Cryptography
• Home front
• Military awards
• Military equipment
• Military production
• Nazi plunder
• Resistance
• Technology
• Total war

Aftermath /consequences
• Effects/Casualties
• Expulsion of Germans
• Operation Paperclip
• Occupation of Germany
• Morgenthau plan
• Territorial changes
• Occupation of Japan
• Franco-Vietnamese War
• Cold War
• in contemporary culture

Civilian impact / atrocities
• Allied war crimes
• German war crimes
• Italian war crimes
• Japanese war crimes
• Soviet war crimes
• The Holocaust
• Bombing of civilians

AlliesAxis

at war from 1937
 China

entered 1939
 Czechoslovakia
 Poland
 UK
 India
 France
 Australia
 New Zealand
 South Africa
 Canada

entered 1940
 Norway
 Belgium
 Netherlands
 Greece

entered 1941
 Yugoslavia
 USSR
 USA

entered 1942
 Mexico
 Brazil

entered 1943
 Italy  

entered 1944
 Romania
 Bulgaria
 Finland

• others

at war from 1937
 Japan

entered 1939
 Germany
 Slovakia

entered 1940
 Italy  to 1943

entered 1941
 Bulgaria  to 1944
Croatia
Finland  to 1944
 Hungary
 Iraq  to 1941
 Romania  to 1944

entered 1942
 Thailand

entered 1943
 RSI

• others

• Allied Leaders
• Axis Leaders
• Commanders

Resistance movements

Austria · Baltic1 · Czech lands · Denmark · Ethiopia
France · Germany2 · Greece · Italy
Jewish2 · Korea · Netherlands · Moldavia2
Norway · Poland · Thailand · Soviet Union
Slovakia4 · Ukraine3 · Vietnam
Yugoslavia · others

Lists

Category · Topics
Conferences

1 Anti-Soviet.
2 Anti-Soviet and anti-Nazi.
3 Anti-Nazi, anti-Polish, and anti-Soviet.
4 Anti-Magyar, anti-Nazi, and anti-Soviet.
5 Lasted to May 1945.

 World War IIat Wiktionary  WWII textbooksat Wikibooks      WWII quotesat Wikiquote  WWII source textsat Wikisource       WWII mediaat Commons  WWII news storiesat Wikinews   Categories: Military personnel of World War IIHidden categories: Articles lacking sources from November 2006 | All articles lacking sources | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007

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