Cold War Veterans Blog

RESOLUTIONS IN SUPPORT OF A COLD WAR MEDAL

RESOLUTION NO. 22

AWARD A COLD WAR VICTORY MEDAL

BE IT RESOLVED, that the Korea Defense Veterans of America joins with other veteran service organizations and petitions The U.S. Department of Defense for award of a Cold War Victory Medal to all members of the U.S. Military that served between 2 September 1945 and 26 December 1991; and

WHEREAS, immediately after World War II we witnessed a polarization in relationship between the Soviet Union and the U.S. and its allies in that the Soviet Union, by physical force and other means, expanded its influence and control over Albania, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Eastern Germany, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Manchuria, Outer Mongolia, North Korea, Romania, and Yugoslavia, annexed the Kurile Islands and the southern half of Sakhalin Island, and instigated problems in Cuba, Greece, Iran, Lebanon, and Turkey. The Soviet Union continued its expansionist movement and dominated Eastern Europe until 1991; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War initiated the largest arms race in history that included nuclear, chemical and biological weapons as well as fomenting low-intensity conflicts, proxy wars, assassinations and various forms of intimidation; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War Era time period was fraught with conflicts and wars stressing U.S. Armed Forces and their allies that included:

• Soviets blockade of Berlin - 1948, leading to the Berlin Airlift


• NATO created to deal with Soviet aggression and expansion - 1949



• Atomic Bomb in Soviet hands - 1949


• Korean War - 1950 to 1953 (UN intervention including U.S. Armed Services members)


• Iran military coup - 1953 (U.S. backed)


• Guatemala military coup - 1954 (U.S. backed)


• Warsaw Pact - 1955 established as counter weight to NATO


• Hungarian Revolution - 1956 (Soviet intervention 4 Nov 56)



• Cuban Bay of Pigs Invasion - 1961


• Cuban Missile Crisis - 1962


• Taiwan Straights and Quemoy and Matsu Islands


• Grenada - 1983


• Angola Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)


• El Salvador Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)



• Nicaragua Civil War (U.S. armed and funded surrogates)


• Afghanistan War; and

WHEREAS, the Cold War is officially considered ended; however, its fallout continues to surface and create tensions today in Africa, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and the Pacific Rim as a testament to its longevity and global impact; and

BE IT RESOLVED, by the Korea Defense Veterans of America, that we petition for award of a Cold War Victory Medal.

The VFW passed the following resolutions at the 108th National Convention, 2007:

#425 European Defense Service Medal

#428 Cold War Victory Medal (as amended)

#430 Expand the dates of Eligibility for the Vietnam Service Medal to May 15th, 1975

#434 Recognition for Veterans Killed or Wounded in the Early Days of the Cold War.