Acquisitions, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Aquisitions) (Details) € in Millions, $ in Millions						12 Months Ended
	Aug. 16, 2016 USD ($)	May 10, 2016 USD ($)	Feb. 25, 2016 EUR (€)	Nov. 02, 2015 EUR (€)	Nov. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 08, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 17, 2016 USD ($)	Nov. 09, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 14, 2016	Nov. 02, 2015 USD ($)	Jan. 30, 2015 USD ($)
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill						$ 70,438	$ 65,526	$ 53,207
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired						2,271	12,027	$ 2,091
Liabilities for Pension and Other Employee Related Cost						43,780	40,487
Business acquisition date				Nov. 02, 2015	Nov. 02, 2015
Alstom Acquisition
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Cash And Equivalents				€ 1,600		1,766							$ 1,765
Current Receivables						4,064
Inventories						4,663
Property Plant And Equipment						2,782
Goodwill						17,304	13,500
Other Intangible Assets						4,370	5,200
All other assets, net(a)						3,673
Total Assets						38,622
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Accounts Payable						1,908
Progress Collections						2,919
Accrued Contract Liabilities						10,714
Unfavorable Customer Contract Liabilities						2,720	1,100
All Other Liabilities(b)						7,658
Total Liabilities						23,199
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest Equity Fair Value Approximate							2,900
Fair Value of Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests						2,921
Fair Value of Noncontrolling Interest						612							$ 3,600
Fair Value of Other Noncontrolling Interest							$ 700
Total Purchase Price						11,890
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired				€ 9,200	$ 10,124	10,124
Total Consideration for Acquired Businesses					$ 13,700
Net Deferred Tax Assets						156
Non-U.S. Loss Carry Forward						52
Indemnification Receivables						76
Liabilities for Unrecognized Income Tax Benefits						859
Liabilities for Pension and Other Employee Related Cost						$ 772
Business acquisition date						Nov. 02, 2015
Business Combination Provisional Information Initial Accounting Incomplete Adjustments Abstract
Derivative Contracts						$ 335
Inventories						(130)
Legal Reserves						990
Aged Accounts Receivable						(175)
Project related costs such as warranty provisions and liquidating damages						665
Other Noncontrolling Interest						$ (55)
Number of joint ventures						3
Alstom Acquisition | Alstom Gas Turbine and Power Systems
Financial Information For Discontinued Operations
Proceeds from divestiture of businesses and interests in affiliates | €			€ 120
A reduction in the book value of assets						$ (405)
Number of years to make payments for purchase						5
Disposal Date						Feb. 25, 2016
Alstom Acquisition | Grid Technology and Renewable Energy JV [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Abstract]
Investment Interest Redemption Period Earliest Date						9/1/2018
Investment Interest Redemption Period Latest Date						9/30/2019
Annual accretion rate						3.00%
Alstom Acquisition | Global Nuclear and French Steam Power JV [Member]
Limited Partners Capital Account [Abstract]
Investment Interest Redemption Period Earliest Date						1/1/2022
Investment Interest Redemption Period Latest Date						3/31/2023
Annual accretion rate						2.00%
Alstom Acquisition | Renewable Energy JV
Limited Partners Capital Account [Abstract]
Investment Interest Redemption Period Earliest Date						5/1/2016
Investment Interest Redemption Period Latest Date						5/31/2019
Annual accretion rate						3.00%
Doosan Acquisition
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	$ 170
Other Intangible Assets	35
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Total Purchase Price		$ 250
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired	$ 220
Date of entry into transaction agreement		May 10, 2016
Business acquisition date	Aug. 16, 2016
Equity interest in acquiree	80.00%
Remaining equity interest in acquiree	20.00%
Doosan Acquisition | Earliest date [Member]
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Business acquisition date						Jan. 01, 2017
Doosan Acquisition | Latest date [Member]
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Business acquisition date						Jun. 30, 2017
Milestone Acquisition
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill														$ 730
Other Intangible Assets														345
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Total Purchase Price														$ 1,750
Business acquisition date							Jan. 30, 2015
Meridium Acquisition
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill						$ 350
Other Intangible Assets						165
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired						$ 370
Business acquisition date						Sep. 14, 2016
Equity interest in acquiree												26.00%
Remaining equity interest in acquiree												74.00%
ArcamAB
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill										$ 495
Other Intangible Assets										95
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Total Purchase Price										$ 422
Business acquisition date						Nov. 17, 2016
Equity interest in acquiree										14.30%
Remaining equity interest in acquiree										76.20%
Concept Laser
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill									$ 550
Other Intangible Assets									170
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Total Purchase Price									$ 573
Business acquisition date						Dec. 08, 2016
Equity interest in acquiree									75.00%
Remaining equity interest in acquiree									25.00%
Financial Information For Discontinued Operations
Number of years to make payments for purchase							1
Bit Stew
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill											$ 110
Other Intangible Assets											50
Business Combination Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired And Liabilities Assumed Liabilities [Abstract]
Total Purchase Price											$ 129
Business acquisition date						Nov. 09, 2016
Equity interest in acquiree											11.00%
Remaining equity interest in acquiree											89.00%