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 among the best known decorations of the Cold-War era due to the large scale and duration 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
:80px Korea Medal
:80px Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea
:80px Special Service Medal
Cuba
United States
;Federal Service Medals
:80px Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
:80px Korea Defense Service Medal
:80px Korean Service Medal
:80px Medal for Humane Action
:80px National Defense Service Medal
:80px Vietnam Service Medal
;Unofficial
:80px 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
:80px Ho Chi Minh Order
:Defeat American Aggression Badge
:Vietnam Liberation Order
South Vietnam
{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"
! style="background:#efefef;" | National Order of Vietnam
! style="background:#efefef;" | Military Merit Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Army Distinguished Service Order
! style="background:#efefef;" | Air Force Distinguished Service Order
! style="background:#efefef;" | Navy Distinguished Service Order
|-
|95px|center
|95px|center
|115px|center
|106px|center
|110px|center
|-
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|-
|}
{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"
! style="background:#efefef;" | Army Meritorious Service Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Air Force Meritorious Service Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Navy Meritorious Service Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Special Service Medal
|-
|105px|center
|100px|center
|105px|center
|105px|center
|-
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|-
|}
{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"
! style="background:#efefef;" | Gallantry Cross
! style="background:#efefef;" | Air Gallantry Cross
! style="background:#efefef;" | Navy Gallantry Cross
! style="background:#efefef;" | Hazardous Service Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Life Saving Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Loyalty Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Wound Medal
|-
|100px|center
|110px|center
|112px|center
|118px|center
|106px|center
|130px|center
|115px|center
|-
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|-
|}
{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"
! style="background:#efefef;" | Leadership Medal
! style="background:#efefef;" | Armed Forces Honor Medal<br/>(First Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Armed Forces Honor Medal<br/>(Second Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Staff Service Medal<br/>(First Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Staff Service Medal<br/>(Second Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Technical Service Medal<br/>(First Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Technical Service Medal<br/>(Second Class)
|-
|115px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|112px|center
|110px|center
|115px|center
|115px|center
|-
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|-
|}
{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"
! style="background:#efefef;" | Training Service Medal<br/>(First Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Training Service Medal<br/>(Second Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Civil Actions Medal<br/>(First Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Civil Actions Medal<br/>(Second Class)
! style="background:#efefef;" | Vietnam Campaign Medal
|-
|110px|center
|112px|center
|128px|center
|135px|center
|120px|center
|-
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|106px|center
|-
|}
{| align="center" border="1" cellpadding="1"
! style="background:#efefef;" | Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
! style="background:#efefef;" | Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation
! style="background:#efefef;" | Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation
|-
|center
|center
|center
|-
|}
North Korea
:Awards and decorations of North Korea
Republic of Korea (South Korea)
:80px South Korean Presidential Unit Citation
:80px Korean War Service Medal
;Order of National Security Merit
:80px Tong-il Medal
:80px Gugseon Medal
:80px Cheon-Su Medal
:80px Sam-il Medal
:80px Gwangbog Medal
;Order of Military Merit
:80px Taeguk Cordon Medal
:80px Eulji Cordon Medal
:80px Chungmu Cordon Medal
:80px Hwarang Cordon Medal
:80px Inheon Cordon Medal
Europe
East Germany
Orders, decorations, and medals of East Germany
West Germany
;Order of Merit
:80px Sonderstufe des Großkreuzes (Grand Cross special class)
:80px Großkreuz (Grand Cross 1st class, special design)
:80px Großkreuz (Grand Cross 1st class)
:80px 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)
:80px Großes Verdienstkreuz mit Stern (Knight Commander's Cross or Grand Cross with Star)
:80px Großes Verdienstkreuz (Halskreuz) (Commander's Cross or Grand Cross (Neck cross))
:80px Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Officer's Cross)
:80px Verdienstkreuz am Bande (Cross) International equivalent: Ritterkreuz (Knight's Cross)
:80px 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
:80px Inter-American Defense Board Medal
International Commission of Control and Supervision
:80px International Commission for Supervision and Control Medal; Indo-China, (1954–1974)
:80px International Commission of Control and Supervision Service Medal, Vietnam (1973)
United Nations
:80px United Nations Service Medal
:80px United Nations Medal