Note 11: Shareowners' Equity and Noncontrolling Interest (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Equity, beginning of period	$ 23,549,000,000	$ 23,126,000,000	$ 22,820,000,000	$ 22,332,000,000
Net income	1,422,000,000	1,430,000,000	1,829,000,000	2,531,000,000
Comprehensive income attributable to common shareowners	(701,000,000)	207,000,000	(204,000,000)	911,000,000
Total comprehensive income for the period	721,000,000	1,637,000,000	1,625,000,000	3,442,000,000
Common Stock issued under employee plans	104,000,000	253,000,000	333,000,000	447,000,000
Common Stock repurchased	0	(750,000,000)	0	(1,500,000,000)
Quarterly Contract Adjustment Payments To Equity Units Holders	(216,000,000)	0	(216,000,000)	0
Dividends on Common Stock	(413,000,000)	(413,000,000)	(825,000,000)	(781,000,000)
Dividends on ESOP Common Stock	(16,000,000)	(16,000,000)	(32,000,000)	(31,000,000)
Dividends attributable to noncontrolling interest	(72,000,000)	(90,000,000)	(130,000,000)	(166,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest	(2,000,000)	0	(11,000,000)	0
Sale of subsidiary shares in noncontrolling interest	20,000,000	0	35,000,000	11,000,000
Acquired noncontrolling interest	47,000,000	0	55,000,000	5,000,000
Disposition noncontrolling interest			(4,000,000)	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries' earnings	(7,000,000)	(6,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(11,000,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest in other comprehensive income (loss)	7,000,000	(2,000,000)	8,000,000	(6,000,000)
Change in redemption value of put options	(1,000,000)	0	(1,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Amount of redeemable noncontrolling interest reclassified	4,000,000	0	79,000,000	0
Equity, end of period	23,725,000,000	23,739,000,000	23,725,000,000	23,739,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, beginning of period	243,000,000	319,000,000	358,000,000	317,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interest, end of period	238,000,000	348,000,000	238,000,000	348,000,000
Net income attributable to common shareowners	1,328,000,000	1,318,000,000	1,658,000,000	2,330,000,000
Transfer to noncontrolling interest: Increase in common stock for sale of subsidiary shares	0	0	0	3,000,000
Transfers to noncontrolling interests - Decrease in common stock for purchase of subsidiary shares	0	0	(8,000,000)	0
Change from net income attributable to common shareowners and transfers to noncontrolling interest	1,328,000,000	1,318,000,000	1,650,000,000	2,333,000,000
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(104,000,000)		(104,000,000)			206,000,000
Foreign Currency Translation Change in Period	(628,000,000)		(628,000,000)		318,000,000
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Net of Tax	(5,575,000,000)		(5,575,000,000)			(5,810,000,000)
Benefit Pension and Postretirement Plans Change in Period	136,000,000		136,000,000		99,000,000
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Available-for-sale Securities Adjustment, Net of Tax	133,000,000		133,000,000			164,000,000
Unrealize Gains on Available-for-Sale Securities Change in Period	(42,000,000)		(42,000,000)		11,000,000
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Cumulative Changes in Net Gain (Loss) from Cash Flow Hedges, Effect Net of Tax	(129,000,000)		(129,000,000)			(50,000,000)
Unrealized Hedging Gains Change in Period	(140,000,000)		(140,000,000)		61,000,000
Accumulated other comprehensive loss	(5,675,000,000)		(5,675,000,000)			(5,490,000,000)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Change in Period	(674,000,000)		(674,000,000)		489,000,000
Shareowners' Equity [Member]
Equity, beginning of period	22,492,000,000	22,126,000,000	21,880,000,000	21,385,000,000
Net income	1,328,000,000	1,318,000,000	1,658,000,000	2,330,000,000
Comprehensive income attributable to common shareowners	(674,000,000)	205,000,000	(185,000,000)	873,000,000
Total comprehensive income for the period	654,000,000	1,523,000,000	1,473,000,000	3,203,000,000
Common Stock issued under employee plans	104,000,000	253,000,000	333,000,000	447,000,000
Common Stock repurchased	0	(750,000,000)	0	(1,500,000,000)
Quarterly Contract Adjustment Payments To Equity Units Holders	(216,000,000)	0	(216,000,000)	0
Dividends on Common Stock	(413,000,000)	(413,000,000)	(825,000,000)	(781,000,000)
Dividends on ESOP Common Stock	(16,000,000)	(16,000,000)	(32,000,000)	(31,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest	0	0	(8,000,000)	0
Sale of subsidiary shares in noncontrolling interest	0	0	0	3,000,000
Change in redemption value of put options	(1,000,000)	0	(1,000,000)	(3,000,000)
Equity, end of period	22,604,000,000	22,723,000,000	22,604,000,000	22,723,000,000
Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Equity, beginning of period	1,057,000,000	1,000,000,000	940,000,000	947,000,000
Net income	94,000,000	112,000,000	171,000,000	201,000,000
Comprehensive income attributable to common shareowners	(27,000,000)	2,000,000	(19,000,000)	38,000,000
Total comprehensive income for the period	67,000,000	114,000,000	152,000,000	239,000,000
Dividends attributable to noncontrolling interest	(72,000,000)	(90,000,000)	(130,000,000)	(166,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest	(2,000,000)	0	(3,000,000)	0
Sale of subsidiary shares in noncontrolling interest	20,000,000	0	35,000,000	8,000,000
Acquired noncontrolling interest	47,000,000	0	55,000,000	5,000,000
Disposition noncontrolling interest			(4,000,000)	0
Redeemable noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries' earnings	(7,000,000)	(6,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(11,000,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interest in other comprehensive income (loss)	7,000,000	(2,000,000)	8,000,000	(6,000,000)
Amount of redeemable noncontrolling interest reclassified	4,000,000	0	79,000,000	0
Equity, end of period	1,121,000,000	1,016,000,000	1,121,000,000	1,016,000,000
Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Net income	7,000,000	6,000,000	11,000,000	11,000,000
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Transaction and Translation Adjustment, Net of Tax	(7,000,000)	2,000,000	(8,000,000)	6,000,000
Dividends attributable to noncontrolling interest	0	(1,000,000)	(11,000,000)	(11,000,000)
Purchase of subsidiary shares from noncontrolling interest	(2,000,000)	0	(34,000,000)	0
Change in redemption value of put options	1,000,000	0	1,000,000	3,000,000
Amount of redeemable noncontrolling interest reclassified	(4,000,000)	0	(79,000,000)	0
Other Changes In Noncontrolling Interest	$ 0	$ 22,000,000	$ 0	$ 22,000,000