Financial Instruments (Amount Recorded in Other comprehensive Income) (Details) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Maximum term of hedged forecasted transactions	21	22
Interest Rate Contract [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedge [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in AOCI	$ (141)	$ (214)	$ (117)	$ (444)
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings	(221)	(352)	(478)	(771)
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedge [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in AOCI	500	(1,070)	764	(1,604)
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings	459	(983)	952	(1,685)
Commodity Contract [Member] \| Cash Flow Hedge [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in AOCI	2	6	2	9
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings	12	2	8	0
Cash Flow Hedge [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in AOCI	361	(1,278)	649	(2,039)
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings	250	(1,333)	482	(2,456)
Pre-tax gain (loss) included in AOCI related to cash flow hedges of forecasted transactions	(1,887)		(1,887)
Expected gain (loss) to be recorded in the next 12 months	(670)
Gain Loss Related To Hedge Forecasted Transactions And Firm Commitments That Did Not Occur By End Of Originally Specified Period	insignificant gains and losses	insignificant gains and losses	insignificant gains and losses	insignificant gains and losses
Derivative, Net Hedge Ineffectiveness Gain (Loss)	(16)	7	12	(27)
Subsidiaries GECS [Member] \| Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] \| Net Investment Hedge [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Gain (loss) recognized in AOCI	(2,605)	1,813	(3,406)	2,217
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into earnings	(360)	(30)	(698)	(30)
Net Investment Hedge [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Derivative, Net Hedge Ineffectiveness Gain (Loss)	(377)	(213)	(655)	(412)
Fair Value Hedges [Member]
Summary Of Hedge Activity [Line Items]
Derivative, Net Hedge Ineffectiveness Gain (Loss)	$ (130)	$ (174)	$ (203)	$ (327)

Gain Loss Related To Hedge Forecasted Transactions And Firm Commitments That Did Not Occur By End Of Originally Specified Period

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- Definition

Summary Of Fair Value Hedge Activity [Line Items]

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- Definition

Accumulated balance in equity due to changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge of forecasted transactions.

+ Details

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- Definition

The estimated net amount of existing gains or losses on cash flow hedges at the reporting date expected to be reclassified to earnings within the next 12 months.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b(2)
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6887037&loc=d3e80748-113994

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- Definition

The effective portion of net gain (loss) reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income into income on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 44C
-Subparagraph b
-Clause 4
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (c)
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Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 205G
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The effective portion of gains and losses (net) on derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments that was recognized in other comprehensive income during the current period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4C
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6935481&loc=SL5624171-113959

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 205G
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 44C
-Subparagraph b
-Clause 2
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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- Definition

The portion of a hedge deemed to be ineffective that is reflected in current period results of operations.

+ References

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- Definition

Maximum length of time over which the entity is hedging its exposure to the variability in future cash flows for forecasted transactions, excluding those forecasted transactions related to the payment of variable interest on existing financial instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 133
-Paragraph 45
-Subparagraph b(3)
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
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