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 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 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 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