Between 1947 and 1991, during the years of the Cold War, a large number of military awards and decorations were created by various nations to recognize the undeclared hostilities of the era. Military medals of the Vietnam War and the Korean War are the best known due to the extreme level of the conflicts.
The following is a list of military decorations of the Cold War based on the various time periods and specific nations involved.
[edit] Americas
[edit] Canada
Korea Medal
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
Special Service Medal
[edit] United States
- Federal Service Medals
Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
Korea Defense Service Medal
Korean Service Medal
Medal for Humane Action
National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal- National Guard
Cold War Victory Medal (Alaska & Louisiana only)
[edit] Republic of China
- Awards and decorations of China
[edit] North Vietnam
- Ho Chi Minh Order
- Defeat American Aggression Badge
- Vietnam Liberation Order
[edit] South Vietnam
[edit] North Korea
- Awards and decorations of North Korea
[edit] Republic of Korea (South Korea)
South Korean Presidential Unit Citation
Korean War Service Medal- Order of National Security Merit
Tong-il Medal
Gugseon Medal
Cheon-Su Medal
Sam-il Medal
Gwangbog Medal- Order of Military Merit
Taeguk Cordon Medal
Eulji Cordon Medal
Chungmu Cordon Medal
Hwarang Cordon Medal
Inheon Cordon Medal
[edit] Europe
[edit] East Germany
Orders, decorations, and medals of East Germany
[edit] West Germany
- Order of Merit
Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes (Grand Cross special class)
Großkreuz (Grand Cross 1st class, special design)
Großkreuz (Grand Cross 1st class)
Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern und Schulterband (Grand Cross with Star and Sash)
- International equivalent: Großkreuz 2. Klasse (Grand Cross of Merit, Second class) or Großkomturkreuz (Grand Commander's Cross)
Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern (Knight Commander's Cross or Grand Cross with Star)
Großes Verdienstkreuz (Halskreuz) (Commander's Cross or Grand Cross (Neck cross))
Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Officer's Cross)
Verdienstkreuz am Bande (Cross) International equivalent: Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross)
Verdienstmedaille (Medal)
The President of the Federal Republic holds the Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes ex officio. It is awarded to him in a ceremony by the President of the Bundestag attended by the Chancellor, the President of the Bundesrat and the Supreme Court President. Other than the President of the Federal Republic, only a foreign head of state can be awarded with the highest class. There is also the provision of awarding the Großkreuz in a special rare design, in which the central medallion with the black eagle is surrounded by a stylized laurel wreath in relief. which has so far only been used twice: for Konrad Adenauer and for Helmut Kohl.
[edit] Soviet Union
- Orders, decorations, and medals of the Soviet Union
[edit] International Organizations
[edit] Inter-American Defense Board
Inter-American Defense Board Medal
[edit] International Commission of Control and Supervision
International Commission for Supervision and Control Medal; Indo-China, (1954–1974)
International Commission of Control and Supervision Service Medal, Vietnam (1973)
[edit] United Nations
United Nations Service Medal
United Nations Medal
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