Military decorations of the Cold War

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.

Americas

Canada

Korea Medal

Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea

Special Service Medal

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)

Asia

Republic of China

Awards and decorations of China

North Vietnam

Ho Chi Minh Order

Defeat American Aggression Badge

Vietnam Liberation Order

South Vietnam

National Order of Vietnam	Military Merit Medal	Army Distinguished Service Order	Navy Distinguished Service Order	Air Force Distinguished Service Order

Army Meritorious Service Medal	Navy Meritorious Service Medal	Air Force Meritorious Service Medal	Special Service Medal

Gallantry Cross	Air Gallantry Cross	Navy Gallantry Cross	Life Saving Medal	Wound Medal

Armed Forces Honor Medal (First Class)	Armed Forces Honor Medal (Second Class)	Staff Service Medal (First Class)	Staff Service Medal (Second Class)	Technical Service Medal (First Class)	Technical Service Medal (Second Class)

Training Service Medal (First Class)	Training Service Medal (Second Class)	Civil Actions Medal (First Class)	Civil Actions Medal (Second Class)	Vietnam Campaign Medal

Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation	Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation	Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation

North Korea

Awards and decorations of North Korea

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

Europe

East Germany

Orders, decorations, and medals of East Germany

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.

Soviet Union

Orders, decorations, and medals of the Soviet Union

International Organizations

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