Difference Between Admiral and General

Admiral vs General

Admiral and general are the same ranks in the defence. The only difference is that Admiral is a rank in the Navy and General is the rank in Army.

Admiral is a top rank or part of a top rank in the Navy. Admiral is a rank just above the vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral or Admiral of the Fleet. Admiral is usually abbreviated as Adm. Admiral usually comes as a four star rank but in some countries, Admiral is not a four star rank.

The rank of Admiral was not introduced in the U S Army until the civil war. Prior to the civil war, captain was the highest rank in the Navy. When an official had to command large units, he was designated as Flag officer but it was not considered a rank. Some of the ranks associated with Admiral are Rear Admiral (lower half having one star), Rear Admiral (upper half having two stars), Vice Admiral having three stars, Admiral having four stars and Fleet Admiral having five stars.

General is a top peacetime rank in the Army. General is a rank just below Field Marshal and below Lieutenant General. General, which is a four-star rank, is the most senior rank in the Army during peacetimes and it is the Field Marshal rank that is used in war times. General was a rank that preceded the rank of Captain General, which was earlier used in the 17th century during the beginning of professional armies. It was this General Captain that contracted to General.

Apart from being two ranks in the Navy and the Army, there is not much difference between Admiral and the General.

Summary

1. Admiral is a top rank or part of a top rank in the Navy. General is a top peacetime rank in the Army.

2. Apart from being two ranks in the Navy and the Army, there is not much difference between Admiral and the General.

3. The rank of Admiral was not introduced in the U S Army until the civil war.

4. General was a rank that preceded the rank of Captain General, which was earlier used in the 17th century during the beginning of professional armies. It was this General Captain that contracted to General.

5. Some of the ranks associated with Admiral are Rear Admiral (lower half having one star), Rear Admiral (upper half having two stars), Vice Admiral having three stars, Admiral having four stars and Fleet Admiral having five stars.