Every Rank In The Soviet Red Army During WWII Explained

What happens when an army stretches from ordinary soldiers to Stalin himself? ⚔️⭐

The Soviet Red Army during World War II built one of the most elaborate rank systems in history.

In 1943, sweeping reforms introduced new uniforms, shoulder boards, and a standardized system of ranks. From the lowest privates to the rare title of Generalissimus, each step in the hierarchy carried unique responsibilities, authority, and insignia.

This video breaks down every rank in order, showing how the Red Army organized millions of men during the largest conflict the world had ever seen.

In this history explainer, you’ll uncover:

👤 Ryadovoy — The Red Army Man, foundation of every Soviet unit
🎖️ NCOs — Junior leaders who held squads together under fire
🪖 Lieutenants to Captains — Officers commanding platoons and companies
📏 Majors, Lieutenant Colonels, Colonels — Senior officers bridging to generals
⭐ Major General to General of the Army — Leading divisions, corps, and whole fronts
⚒️ Marshals of Army Units — Artillery, aviation, armor, engineers, and signals
🌿 Chief Marshals of the Branches — Senior leaders with unique wreath insignia
🌟 Marshal of the Soviet Union — The highest wartime military command
👑 Generalissimus — Created in 1945 for Joseph Stalin alone

⚠️ Important Note
All insignias and descriptions shown in this video correspond to the post-1943 Red Army reform period, when the shoulder board system was officially introduced. Earlier variations are not covered, to maintain historical consistency and visual clarity.

Whether you’re a WWII historian 📚, military enthusiast ⚔️, or simply fascinated by how armies build power from the ground up, this video walks you through every Soviet Red Army rank explained.

🕒 Chapters

00:00 — Ryadovoy
00:49 - Efreitor
01:34 - Mladshy Serzhant
02:26 - Serzhant
03:16 - Starshy Serzhant
04:07 - Starshina
05:00 - Mladshy Leytenant
05:47 - Leytenant
06:38 - Starshy Leytenant
07:21 - Kapitan
08:12 - Mayor
09:03 - Podpolkovnik
09:52 - Polkovnik
11:05 - General - Major
11:54 - General - Leytenant
12:44 - General - Polkovnik
13:30 - General Armii
14:15 - Marshals Of The Army Units
15:01 - Chief Marshals Of The Army Units
16:30 - Marshal Of Soviet Union
17:33 - Generalissimus

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⚠️ Visual and Copyright Disclaimer

This video may contain a combination of historical images, AI-generated recreations, archival visuals, and symbolic representations.
All content is used strictly for educational, documentary, and informational purposes, under the principles of Fair Use (Section 107, U.S. Copyright Law) and equivalent international standards.

Sources of visuals include:
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– Creative Commons licensed material (CC0 / CC-BY / CC-BY-SA)
– AI-generated or manually recreated visuals for historical context

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Reference Source Used for Insignia Visuals:
https://istochnik.us/red-army-insignia