Shareowners' Equity (Noncontrolling Interests) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Preferred stock value (5,944,250 shares outstanding at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016)	$ 6		$ 6
Changes To Noncontrolling Interest
Beginning balance	1,663	$ 1,864
Net earnings (loss)	5	(69)
Dividends	(9)	(7)
Dispositions	(13)	(42)
AOCI and other	(7)	(79)
Ending balance	1,639	$ 1,667
GEAM
Changes To Noncontrolling Interest
AOCI and other	$ (123)

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net earnings for NCI excluding D-98 (Mezzanine Equity)

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No definition available.

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This element represents Other Comprehensive Income or Loss, Net of Tax, for the period attributable to noncontrolling interest. Includes deferred gains or losses on qualifying hedges, unrealized holding gains or losses on available-for-sale securities, minimum pension liability, and cumulative translation adjustment in addition to various other transactions related to noncontrolling interests

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Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which is directly or indirectly attributable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (that is, noncontrolling interest, previously referred to as minority interest).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(22))
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Decrease in noncontrolling interest balance from payment of dividends or other distributions by the non-wholly owned subsidiary or partially owned entity, included in the consolidation of the parent entity, to the noncontrolling interest holders.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
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-Section S99
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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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The amount of the reduction or elimination during the period of a noncontrolling interest resulting from the parent's loss of control and deconsolidation of the entity in which one or more outside parties had a noncontrolling interest.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Aggregate par or stated value of issued nonredeemable preferred stock (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer). This item includes treasury stock repurchased by the entity. Note: elements for number of nonredeemable preferred shares, par value and other disclosure concepts are in another section within stockholders' equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
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