CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
Feb. 28, 2015	Feb. 28, 2014
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net earnings	$ 2,937us-gaap_ProfitLoss	$ 1,462us-gaap_ProfitLoss
Adjustments to reconcile net earnings to net cash provided by operating activities -
Depreciation and amortization	826	663
Change in fair value of warrants and related amortization	(859)	(166)
Gain on previously held equity interest	(706)	0
Deferred income taxes	181us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	29us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Stock compensation expense	65us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation	52us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation
Unrealized gain from fair value adjustments	(68)us-gaap_EquityFairValueAdjustment	0us-gaap_EquityFairValueAdjustment
Equity earnings in Alliance Boots	(315)wxz_IncomeFromEquityMethodInvestments	(330)wxz_IncomeFromEquityMethodInvestments
Other	390us-gaap_OtherNoncashExpense	48us-gaap_OtherNoncashExpense
Changes in operating assets and liabilities -
Accounts receivable, net	(391)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInReceivables	(117)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInReceivables
Inventories	106us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories	(288)us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInInventories
Other current assets	21	13
Trade accounts payable	363	(171)
Accrued expenses and other liabilities	(20)	(25)
Income taxes	(99)	47
Other non-current assets and liabilities	(94)	20
Net cash provided by operating activities	2,337	1,237
Cash Flows from Investing Activities:
Additions to property, plant and equipment	(643)	(591)
Proceeds from sale of assets	579	209
Return of restricted cash	74us-gaap_DecreaseInRestrictedCash	0us-gaap_DecreaseInRestrictedCash
Alliance Boots acquisition, net of cash received	(4,461)	0
Other business and intangible asset acquisitions, net of cash received	(92)	(297)
Purchases of short-term investments held to maturity	(29)	(34)
Proceeds from short-term investments held to maturity	29	34
Investment in AmerisourceBergen	0	(430)
Other	(165)	(59)
Net cash used for investing activities	(4,708)	(1,168)
Cash Flows from Financing Activities:
Payments of short-term borrowings	(330)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfShortTermDebt	0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfShortTermDebt
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	12,279	0
Payments of long-term debt	(7,817)us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt	0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt
Stock purchases	(594)	(205)
Proceeds related to employee stock plans	293us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockPlans	416us-gaap_ProceedsFromStockPlans
Cash dividends paid	(642)us-gaap_DividendsCash	(597)us-gaap_DividendsCash
Other	(360)	(12)
Net cash (used for) provided by financing activities	2,829	(398)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents	(99)	0
Changes in Cash and Cash Equivalents:
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	359	(329)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period	2,646	2,106
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	$ 3,005	$ 1,777

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Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.