- Military decorations of the Cold War
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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.
Contents
Americas
Canada
- Korea Medal
- Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
- Special Service Medal
Cuba
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
North Vietnam
- Ho Chi Minh Order
- Defeat American Aggression Badge
- Vietnam Liberation Order
South Vietnam
National Order of Vietnam Vietnam Military Merit Medal Vietnam Army
Distinguished Service OrderVietnam Navy
Distinguished Service OrderVietnam Air Force Distinguished Service Order Vietnam Army Meritorious Service Medal Vietnam Navy Meritorious Service Medal Vietnam Air Force Meritorious Service Medal Vietnam Special Service Medal Vietnam Gallantry Cross Vietnam Air Gallantry Cross Vietnam Navy Gallantry Cross Vietnam Wound Medal Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal (First Class) Vietnam Civil Actions Medal (First Class) Vietnam 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
International Organizations
Inter-American Defense Board
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)
United Nations
- United Nations Service Medal
- United Nations Medal
Categories:- Military awards and decorations of the United States
- Cold War
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