We study extensions $L/K$ of complete discrete valuation fields $K$ with residue field $\oK$ of characteristic $p > 0$, which we do not assume to be perfect. Our work concerns ramification theory for such extensions, in particular we show that all classical properties which are true under the hypothesis {\it ``the residue field extension $\oL/\oK$ is separable''} are still valid under the more general hypothesis that the valuation ring extension is monogenic. We also show that conversely, if classical ramification properties hold true for an extension $L/K$, then the extension of valuation rings is monogenic. These are the ``{\it well ramified}'' extensions. We show that there are only three possible types of well ramified extensions and we give examples. In the last part of the paper we consider, for the three types, Kato's generalization of the conductor, which we show how to bound in certain cases.

Let $N/K$ be a biquadratic extension of algebraic number fields, and $G=\Gal (N/K)$. Under a weak restriction on the ramification filtration associated with each prime of $K$ above $2$, we explicitly describe the $\bZ[G]$-module structure of each ambiguous ideal of $N$. We find under this restriction that in the representation of each ambiguous ideal as a $\bZ[G]$-module, the exponent (or multiplicity) of each indecomposable module is determined by the invariants of ramification, alone. For a given group, $G$, define ${\cal S}_G$ to be the set of indecomposable $\bZ[G]$-modules, ${\cal M}$, such that there is an extension, $N/K$, for which $G\cong\Gal (N/K)$, and ${\cal M}$ is a $\bZ[G]$-module summand of an ambiguous ideal of $N$. Can ${\cal S}_G$ ever be infinite? In this paper we answer this question of Chinburg in the affirmative.

Let $L/K$ be a finite Galois extension of local fields which are finite extensions of $\bQ_p$, the field of $p$-adic numbers. Let $\Gal (L/K)=G$, and $\euO_L$ and $\bZ_p$ be the rings of integers in $L$ and $\bQ_p$, respectively. And let $\euP_L$ denote the maximal ideal of $\euO_L$. We determine, explicitly in terms of specific indecomposable $\bZ_p[G]$-modules, the $\bZ_p[G]$-module structure of $\euO_L$ and $\euP_L$, for $L$, a composite of two arithmetically disjoint, ramified cyclic extensions of $K$, one of which is only weakly ramified in the sense of Erez \cite{erez}.