title: Military decorations of the Cold War
text: # 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
  
  **Unofficial**
  
  
      Cold War Victory Medal The Cold War Victory Medal is both an official medal of the U.S. National Guard and an unofficial military medal of the United States. It is awarded by the U.S. states of Louisiana and Texas, and in ribbon form only by the State of Alaska.
  
  ## 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 | Air Force Distinguished Service Order | Navy Distinguished Service Order |
  | - | - | - | - | - |
  | Army Meritorious Service Medal | Air Force Meritorious Service Medal | Navy Meritorious Service Medal | Special Service Medal |
  | Gallantry Cross | Air Gallantry Cross | Navy Gallantry Cross | Hazardous Service Medal | Life Saving Medal | Loyalty Medal | Wound Medal |
  | Leadership 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
  
  ### Inter-American Defense Board
  
      Inter-American Defense Board Medal
  
  ### 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
  