Retirement Benefits (Details) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($) PensionPlan		Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)		Aug. 31, 2014 USD ($)		Aug. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of defined benefit plans | PensionPlan		2
Defined benefit pension plan, investments holding percentage								85.00%
Cash contributions to defined benefit pension plans		$ 66
Profit sharing provision expense		226		$ 158		$ 355
Contributions to profit sharing		225		249		328
Cost recognized in the consolidated condensed statements of earnings		130		93
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined benefit plan obligation		8,635	[1]	8,635	[1]	8,827	[1]	$ 9,463	$ 8,635	[1]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		9,428		8,936	[1]	8,987	[1]	9,428	8,936	[1]
Components of net periodic benefit costs [Abstract]
Service costs		4		3	[1]
Interest costs		308		214	[1]
Expected returns on plan assets		(247)		(173)	[1]
Curtailments		(2)		(2)
Total postretirement benefit costs		63		42	[1]
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation at beginning of year	[1]	8,635		8,827
Service costs		4		3	[1]
Interest costs		308		214	[1]
Amendments		(2)		(2)	[1]
Net actuarial (gain) loss		2,272		(103)	[1]
Benefits paid		(277)		(186)	[1]
Currency translation adjustments		(1,477)		(118)	[1]
Benefit obligation at end of year		9,463		8,635	[1]	8,827	[1]
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[1]	8,936		8,987
Employer contributions		75		152	[1]
Benefits paid		(277)		(186)	[1]
Return on assets		2,216		91	[1]
Currency translation adjustments		(1,522)		(108)	[1]
Plan assets at fair value at end of year		$ 9,428		$ 8,936	[1]	$ 8,987	[1]
Amounts recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets [Abstract]
Other non-current assets								155	468
Accrued expenses and other liabilities								(6)	(1)
Other non-current liabilitries								(184)	(166)
Net (liability) asset recognized at end of year								(35)	301
Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss [Abstract]
Net actuarial (gain) loss								(258)	21	[1]
Accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets [Abstract]
Projected benefit obligation								9,463	8,635
Accumulated benefit obligation								9,457	8,624
Fair value of plan assets								$ 9,428	$ 8,936
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine benefit obligations [Abstract]
Discount rate								2.17%	3.87%
Rate of compensation increase								2.44%	2.55%
Weighted-average assumptions used to determine net periodic benefit cost [Abstract]
Discount rate		3.87%		3.77%
Expected long-term return on plan assets		3.05%		2.99%
Rate of compensation increase		2.55%		2.66%
Estimated future benefit payments and federal subsidy [Abstract]
2017								$ 264
2018								237
2019								248
2020								266
2021								279
2022-2026								1,641
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		$ 25		$ 25				38	$ 25
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year		25
Plan assets at fair value at end of year		38		25
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		8,407		8,407				8,977	8,407
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year		8,407
Plan assets at fair value at end of year		8,977		8,407
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		504		504				413	504
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year		504
Plan assets at fair value at end of year		$ 413		$ 504
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		8.90%		9.50%
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	$ 834		$ 852				834	852
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[2]	852
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[2]	834		852
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[2]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[2]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	852		852				834	852
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[2]	852
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[2]	834		852
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[2]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[2]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[2]	$ 0		$ 0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		78.80%		81.50%
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	$ 267		$ 267				265	267
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	267
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	265		267
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	265		267				265	267
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	267
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	265		267
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Interest Government Bonds [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	3,502		1,006				3,502	1,006
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	1,006
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	3,502		1,006
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	1,006		1,006				3,502	1,006
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	1,006
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	3,502		1,006
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Index Linked Government Bonds [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[3]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[3]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[3]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	5,535		5,535				3,663	5,535
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[4]	5,535
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[4]	3,663		5,535
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[4]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[4]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	3,663		5,535				3,663	5,535
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[4]	5,535
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[4]	3,663		5,535
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Corporate Bonds [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[4]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[4]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[4]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	472		472					472
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[5]	472
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[5]			472
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	0		0					0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[5]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[5]			0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	472		472					472
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[5]	472
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[5]			472
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Debt Securities [Member] | Other Bonds [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[5]	0		0					0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[5]	$ 0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[5]			$ 0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		4.30%		5.60%
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	$ 502		$ 502				411	502
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[6]	502
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[6]	411		502
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[6]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[6]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	0		0				0	0
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[6]	0
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[6]	0		0
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Real Estate [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[6]	411		502				411	502
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[6]	502
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[6]	$ 411		$ 502
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Percentage of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value		8.00%		3.40%
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[7]	$ 302		$ 302				753	302
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[7]	302
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[7]	753		302
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member] | Level 1 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[7]	25		25				38	25
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[7]	25
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[7]	38		25
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member] | Level 2 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[7]	713		275				713	275
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[7]	275
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[7]	713		275
Boots and Other Pension Plans [Member] | Other [Member] | Level 3 [Member]
Defined benefit pension plan assets investment in the classes of securities [Abstract]
Amount of defined benefit pension plan assets investment of fair market value	[7]	2		2				2	2
Change in plan assets [Roll Forward]
Plan assets at fair value at beginning of year	[7]	2
Plan assets at fair value at end of year	[7]	2		2
Postretirement Health Benefit Plan [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]
Defined benefit plan obligation		466		431				466	$ 431
Expected benefit to be paid net of estimated federal subsidy during fiscal year 2017								$ 11
Change in benefit obligation [Roll Forward]
Benefit obligation at beginning of year		431
Benefit obligation at end of year		$ 466		$ 431

[1] Fiscal 2015 represents change in pension benefit obligation and plan assets from December 31, 2014 to August 31, 2015.

[2] Equity securities, which mainly comprise investments in comingled funds, are valued based on quoted prices and are primarily exchange-traded. Securities for which official close or last trade pricing on an active exchange is available are classified as Level 1 investments. If closing prices are not available, securities are valued at the last quoted bid price and typically are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[3] Debt securities: government bonds comprise fixed interest and index linked bonds issued by central governments, and are valued based on quotes received from independent pricing services or from dealers who make markets in such securities. Pricing services utilize pricing which considers readily available inputs such as the yield or price of bonds of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type, as well as dealer-supplied prices. Debt securities: government bonds are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[4] Debt securities: corporate bonds comprise bonds issued by corporations and are valued using recently executed transactions, or quoted market prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active. If there have been no market transactions in a particular fixed income security, its fair value is calculated by pricing models that benchmark the security against other securities with actual market prices. Debt securities: corporate bonds are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[5] Debt securities: other bonds comprise agency and mortgage-backed securities. These are valued using recently executed transactions and quoted market prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active. If there have been no market transactions in a particular fixed income security, its fair value is calculated by pricing models that benchmark the security against other securities with actual market prices. Debt securities: other bonds are categorized as Level 2 investments.

[6] Real estate comprises investments in certain property funds which themselves are valued based on the value of the underlying properties. These properties are valued using a number of standard industry techniques such as cost, discounted cash flows, independent appraisals and market based comparable data. Real estate investments are categorized as Level 3 investments. Change in Level 3 investments driven primarily by currency fluctuations.

[7] Other investments mainly comprise cash and cash equivalents and derivatives. Cash is categorized as a Level 1 investment. Cash equivalents are valued using observable yield curves, discounting and interest rates and are categorized as Level 2 investments. Derivatives which are exchange-traded and for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the last reported sale price or official closing price as reported by an independent pricing service on the primary market, or exchange on which they are traded, and are categorized as Level 1 investments. Over-the-counter derivatives typically are valued by independent pricing services and are categorized as Level 2 investments.