List of conflicts related to the Cold War
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2014) |
While the Cold War itself never escalated into direct confrontation, there were a number of conflicts and revolutions related to the Cold War around the globe, spanning the entirety of the period usually prescribed to it (March 12, 1947 to December 26, 1991, a total of 44 years, 9 months, and 2 weeks).[1][2]
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| History of the Cold War |
|---|
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Since 1944
[edit]
Since 1950s
[edit]| Conflict | Start date | End date | Western Bloc related | Eastern Bloc related | Region | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cazin Rebellion | May 5, 1950 | May 6, 1950 | Civilians led by Ale Čović and Milan Božić |  Yugoslavia
|
Southeast Europe | |
| Albanian–Yugoslav border conflict | 1948 | 1954 | Yugoslavia
|
 Albania
|
Southeast Europe | |
| Korean War | June 25, 1950 | July 27, 1953 |  South Korea United Nations United States |
 North Korea China Soviet Union
|
Eastern Asia | Inconclusive |
| Egyptian Revolution of 1952 | July 22, 1952 | July 26, 1952 |  Kingdom of Egypt
|
 Free Officers Movement
|
North Africa | |
| Plzeň uprising of 1953 | May 31, 1952 | June 2, 1952 | Demonstrators |  Czechoslovakia
|
Central Europe | |
| Uprising of 1953 in East Germany | June 16, 1953 | June 17, 1953 |  Demonstrators
|
East Germany Soviet Union
|
Eastern Europe | |
| Cuban Revolution | July 26, 1953 | January 1, 1959 |  Cuban GovernmentSupported by: United States
|
 26th of July Movement Student Revolutionary Directorate Second National Front of Escambray Popular Socialist Party
|
Caribbean | |
| 1953 Iranian coup d'état | August 15, 1953 | August 20, 1953 |  House of Pahlavi United States
|
 Government of Iran
|
Southern Asia | |
| Laotian Civil War | November 9, 1953 | December 2, 1975 |  Kingdom of Laos  United States South Vietnam Thailand
|
 Pathet Lao North Vietnam
|
Southeast Asia | |
| 1954 Guatemalan coup d'état | June 18, 1954 | June 27, 1954 |  Guatemalan rebel exiles United States
|
Guatemalan Government
|
Central America | |
| First Taiwan Strait Crisis | September 3, 1954 | May 1, 1955 |  Republic of China United States
|
People's Republic of China
|
Eastern Asia | |
| Algerian War | November 1, 1954 | March 19, 1962 |  France
|
 FLN MNA PCA
|
North Africa | |
| Calderonist Invasion on Costa Rica | January 7, 1955 | February 21, 1955 |  Government of Costa Rica
|
 Calderonist Forces Nicaragua Venezuela
|
Central America | |
| Space Race | July 30, 1955 | July 17, 1975 | United States
|
 Soviet Union
|
North America, Eurasia | |
| 1955 Argentine coup d'état “Liberating Revolution” | September 16, 1955 | September 23, 1955 |  Government of Argentina
|
Argentine Armed Forces
|
South America | |
| Vietnam War | November 1, 1955 | April 30, 1975 | South Vietnam United States South Korea Australia New Zealand Laos Cambodia  Khmer Republic Thailand Philippines
|
North Vietnam
|
Southeast Asia | |
| Poznań 1956 protests | June 28, 1956 | June 30, 1956 | Protesters |  Polish People’s Republic Soviet Union
|
Central Europe | |
| Hungarian Revolution of 1956 | October 23, 1956 | November 10, 1956 |  Hungary
|
 Hungarian People’s Republic (Kádár) Soviet Union
|
Central Europe | |
| Suez Crisis | October 29, 1956 | November 7, 1956 |  Israel  United Kingdom France
|
Egypt
|
North Africa | |
| Ifni War | October 23, 1957 | June 30, 1958 |  Spanish State France
|
 Morocco
|
North Africa | |
| First Albanian air force incident against US air force | December 23, 1957 | December 23, 1957 | United States
|
Albania
|
Southeast Europe | |
| 14 July Revolution | July 14, 1958 | July 14, 1958 |  Arab Federation
|
 Free Officers
|
Western Asia | |
| Second Taiwan Strait Crisis | August 23, 1958 | October 6, 1958 | Republic of China United States
|
People's Republic of China
|
Eastern Asia | |
| 1959 Mosul uprising | March 7, 1959 | March 11, 1959 |  Arab nationalists
Supported by: |
Iraqi Government
|
Western Asia | |
| 1959 Tibetan uprising | March 10, 1959 | March 21, 1959 |  Tibetan and Khampa protesters and militants  Chushi Gangdruk
|
People's Republic of China
|
Central Asia |
Since 1960s
[edit]| Conflict | Start date | End date | Western Bloc related | Eastern Bloc related | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The attack on the Soviet naval presence | 1961 | 1968 | Albania
|
Soviet Union Supported by:  Warsaw Pact: Bulgaria Czechoslovakia East Germany Hungary Poland
|
Southeast Europe |
| 1960 U-2 incident | May 1, 1960 | May 1, 1960 | United States
|
 Soviet Union
|
Eastern Europe |
| Congo Crisis | June 30, 1960 | November 25, 1965 | 1960–63:
September 1960–63: 1963–65: |
July–September 1960:
December 1960–62: 1963–65: |
Central Africa |
| Political Crisis in Ecuador | September 1, 1960 | August 10, 1979 |  Government of Ecuador
|
Protesters and Militaries
|
South America |
| Guatemalan Civil War | November 13, 1960 | December 19, 1996 | Government of Guatemala Mano Blanca United States
|
 PGT FAR URNG
|
Central America |
| Portuguese Colonial War | February 4, 1961 | April 25, 1974 |  Portugal
|
 MPLA FNLA UNITA FLEC PAIGC FRELIMO
|
Western/Southern Africa |
| Angolan War of Independence | February 4, 1961 | January 15, 1975 | Portugal South Africa
|
MPLA FNLA UNITA FLEC RDL |
Southern Africa |
| Bay of Pigs Invasion | April 17, 1961 | April 19, 1961 |  United States Cuban DRF
|
Cuba
|
Caribbean |
| Berlin Crisis of 1961 | June 4, 1961 | November 9, 1961 | West Germany United States United Kingdom France
|
 East Germany Soviet Union
|
Western Europe |
| Nicaraguan Revolution | July 23, 1961 | April 25, 1990 | Somoza regime Contras United States
|
 FSLN Panama (1978–1979)
|
Central America |
| Eritrean War of Independence | September 1, 1961 | May 29, 1991 | Before 1974: Ethiopian Empire
After 1974: |
Before 1974: ELF
After 1974: |
Eastern Africa |
| Operation Trikora | December 19, 1961 | August 15, 1962 |  Netherlands Dutch New Guinea
|
 Indonesia Soviet Union
|
Southeast Asia |
| North Yemen Civil War | September 26, 1962 | December 1, 1970 |  Kingdom of Yemen Saudi ArabiaSupported by:  Jordan (until 1963) United Kingdom Israel (alleged) Iran Pakistan
|
 Yemen Arab Republic EgyptSupported by: Soviet Union
|
Western Asia |
| Cuban Missile Crisis | October 14, 1962 | October 28, 1962 | United States Italy Turkey
|
Soviet Union Cuba
|
Caribbean |
| Sino-Indian War | October 20, 1962 | November 21, 1962 | China
|
 India
|
Southern Asia |
| Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation | January 20, 1963 | August 11, 1966 |  Malaysia Singapore United Kingdom Brunei Australia New Zealand
|
Indonesia  North Kalimantan Communist Party Brunei People's Party
|
Southeast Asia |
| Guinea-Bissau War of Independence | January 23, 1963 | September 11, 1974 | Portugal
|
PAIGC  Guinea (1970 only) Cuba
|
Western Africa |
| Ar-Rashid revolt | July 3, 1963 | July 3, 1963 | Iraqi Republic
|
Iraqi Army Iraqi Communist Party
|
Western Asia |
| 1964 Brazilian coup d'état | March 31, 1964 | April 1, 1964 |  Brazilian Armed Forces
Supported by: |
 Fourth Brazilian Republic
|
South America |
| Rhodesian Bush War | March 31, 1964 | December 12, 1979 |  Southern Rhodesia(1964–1965)  Rhodesia(1965–1979)  Zimbabwe Rhodesia(1979) South Africa
|
 ZANU (ZANLA) FRELIMO
|
Southern Africa |
| Mexican Dirty War | December 1, 1964 | December 1, 1982 |  Mexico
Supported by: |
Left-wing groups
|
North America |
| Mozambican War of Independence | September 25, 1964 | September 8, 1974 | Portugal
|
FRELIMO
|
Eastern Africa |
| Colombian conflict | May 27, 1964 | Present |  Colombia
|
Far-Left Guerrillas FARC ELN EPL M-19 MOEC MAQL
|
South America |
| Communist insurgency in Thailand | January 1, 1965 | April 26, 1983 | Thailand Republic of China (until 1967) Malaysia United States
|
 Communist Party of Thailand Pathet Lao Khmer Rouge (until 1978) Malayan Communist Party
|
Southeast Asia |
| Dominican Civil War | April 24, 1965 | September 3, 1965 |  Dominican Republic (Loyalist military government) United States  IAPF
|
 Dominican Republic (Constitutionalist)
|
Caribbean |
| Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 | August 15, 1965 | September 23, 1965 | Pakistan
|
India
|
India Indian subcontinent |
| 30 September Movement | September 30, 1965 | October 1, 1965 |  Suharto-backed Armed Forces
Supported by: |
Sukarno government
|
Southeast Asia |
| Indonesian killings of 1965–66 | October 1, 1965 | March 1966 | Indonesia
|
 PKIGerwani Abangan atheists and Kafir ethnic Chinese |
Southeast Asia |
| Cultural Revolution | May 16, 1966 | October 6, 1976 |  Liu Shaoqi government
|
 Mao Zedong governmentRed Guards |
Eastern Asia |
| South African Border War | August 26, 1966 | March 21, 1990 | South Africa
|
 SWAPO (PLAN) MPLA (FAPLA) Cuba SWANU ANC (MK) Zambia
|
Southern Africa |
| Bolivian Campaign | November 3, 1966 | October 9, 1967 |  Bolivia United States
|
National Liberation Army of Bolivia
|
South America |
| Araguaia Guerrilla War | 1966 | 1975 |  Brazil
|
 Communist Party of Brazil
|
South America |
| Cambodian Civil War | March 11, 1967 | April 17, 1975 | Kingdom of Cambodia (1968–1970) Khmer Republic (1970–1975) United States South Vietnam
|
Khmer Rouge GRUNK (1970–1975) FUNK Khmer Rumdo North Vietnam Viet Cong
|
Southeast Asia |
| Six-Day War | June 5, 1967 | June 10, 1967 | Israel
|
Egypt Syria Jordan Iraq Saudi Arabia
|
Western Asia |
| Nigerian Civil War | July 5, 1967 | January 13, 1970[3] |  Nigeria
|
 Biafra
|
West Africa |
| War of Attrition | July 1, 1967 | August 7, 1970 | Israel
|
Egypt Soviet Union PLO Jordan Syria Cuba Kuwait
|
Western Asia |
| Communist Insurgency in Malaysia | June 17, 1968 | December 2, 1989 | Malaysia Singapore Thailand
|
Malayan Communist Party North Kalimantan Communist Party Communist Party of Thailand (until 1983)
|
Southeast Asia |
| Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia | August 20, 1968 | August 21, 1968 | Czechoslovakia
|
Warsaw Pact:
|
Eastern Europe |
| Sino-Soviet border conflict | March 2, 1969 | September 11, 1969 | China
|
Soviet Union
|
Eastern Asia |
| 1969 Sudanese coup d'état | May 25, 1969 | May 25, 1969 |  Sudan
|
 SAF Free Officers Movement
|
North Africa |
| Football War | July 14, 1969 | July 18, 1969 |  El Salvador
|
 Honduras
|
Central America |
| 1969 Libyan coup d'état | September 1, 1969 | September 1, 1969 |  Kingdom of Libya
|
 Free Officers Movement
|
North Africa |
| 1969 Somali coup d'état | October 21, 1969 | October 21, 1969 |  Somali Republic
|
Supreme Revolutionary Council
|
Eastern Africa |
Since 1970s
[edit]| Conflict | Start date | End date | Western Bloc related | Eastern Bloc related | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black September in Jordan | September 1, 1970 | July 1971 | Jordan Pakistan
|
PLO Syria Iranian guerillas:
|
Western Asia |
| First Quarter Storm | January 1970 | March 1970 | Government of Philippines
|
Moderate Opposition
|
Southeast Asia |
| Bangladesh Liberation War | March 26, 1971 | December 16, 1971 | Pakistan Supported by: United States United Kingdom France China Jordan Iran Saudi Arabia Ceylon Libya
|
 Provisional Government of Bangladesh IndiaSupported by: Soviet Union
|
South Asia |
| 1971 JVP insurrection | April 5, 1971 | June 1971 | Ceylon
|
 JVP
|
South Asia |
| Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 | December 3, 1971 | December 16, 1971 | Pakistan Supported by: United States United Kingdom China Jordan Iran Saudi Arabia Ceylon Libya
|
Provisional Government of Bangladesh India Supported by: Soviet Union Israel
|
South Asia |
| 1970s operation in Balochistan | February 1973 | December 1978 | Pakistan
Supported by: |
 Baloch separatistsSupported by:  Republic of Afghanistan India Iraq Soviet Union (from 1974)
|
South Asia |
| 1973 Uruguayan coup d'état | June 27, 1973 | June 28, 1973 |  Uruguayan Civic-military regime
|
General Assembly of Uruguay
|
South America |
| 1973 Chilean coup d'état | September 11, 1973 | September 11, 1973 |  Chilean Armed Forces
Supported by: |
 Chilean Government
|
South America |
| Armed resistance in Chile (1973–90) | September 11, 1973 | March 11, 1990 | Military dictatorship of Chile
|
Guerrillas:
|
South America |
| Yom Kippur War | October 6, 1973 | October 25, 1973 | Israel Supported by: United States
|
 Egypt SyriaExpeditionary forces:  Saudi Arabia Algeria Jordan Sudan Iraq  Libya Kuwait Tunisia Morocco CubaSupported by: Soviet Union East Germany North Korea Pakistan Lebanon
|
Western Asia |
| Carnation Revolution | April 24, 1974 | April 25, 1974 | Portuguese New State regime (isolacionist, mostly unsupported)
|
Rebeling portuguese Armed Forces Movement (a catch-all movement, including communists)
|
Western Europe |
| Ongoing Revolutionary Process | April 25, 1974 | November 25, 1975 | National Salvation Junta
(After the failed March 11, 1975 coup by Spínola, reformed into:)
|
Communist armed forces revolutionaries, mostly led by Otelo Saraiva de Carvalho & Vasco Gonçalves.
|
Western Europe |
| Ethiopian Civil War | November 28, 1974 | May 21, 1991 | EPRDF
Supported by: |
 Derg (1974–1987) PDR Ethiopia (1987–1991)MEISON (until 1977) Supported by: Soviet Union (1974–1990) Cuba (1974–1990) South Yemen (1974–1990) North Korea Israel (from 1990)
|
Eastern Africa |
| Operation Independence | February 5, 1975 | September 28, 1977 | Argentina
|
 ERP Montoneros
|
South America |
| Lebanese Civil War | April 13, 1975 | October 13, 1990 | Israel Lebanese Front  Army of Free Lebanon South Lebanon Army Tigers Militia
|
Lebanese National Movement Jammoul Lebanese Communist Party Syrian Social Nationalist Party in Lebanon PLO
|
Near East |
| Angolan Civil War | November 11, 1975 | April 4, 2002 | UNITA FNLA South Africa  Zaire
|
MPLA Cuba Brazil SWAPO ANCExecutive Outcomes  FLNC Namibia
|
Southern Africa |
| Indonesian invasion of East Timor | December 7, 1975 | July 17, 1976 | Indonesia
|
 East Timor
|
Southeast Asia |
| Operation Entebbe | July 4, 1976 | July 4, 1976 | Israel Supported by:  Kenya
|
 PFLP-EO Revolutionary Cells Uganda
|
Western Africa |
| 1976 Argentine coup d'état | March 24, 1976 | March 24, 1976 | Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic
Supported by: |
 Government of Argentina
|
South America |
| Islamist uprising in Syria | May 31, 1976 | February 28, 1982 |  Muslim Brotherhood Pro-Iraqi Ba'athistsSupported by: Iraq (1980–1982) West Germany Jordan
|
 Syrian government
Supported by: |
Western Asia |
| Insurgency in Aceh | December 4, 1976 | August 15, 2005 | Indonesia Supported by: United States
|
 Free Aceh MovementSupported by:  Libya
|
Southeast Asia |
| Shaba I | March 8, 1977 | May 26, 1977 | Zaire Morocco Egypt France Belgium
|
Front for the National Liberation of the Congo
|
Central Africa |
| Mozambican Civil War | May 30, 1977 | October 15, 1992 |  RENAMOPRM (merged with RENAMO in 1982) FUMO Rhodesia South Africa
|
 Mozambique (People's Republic until 1990)
|
Southern Africa |
| 1977 Seychelles coup d'état | June 4, 1977 | June 5, 1977 |  SDP Government
|
 SPUP Insurgents
|
East Africa |
| Operation Fair Play | July 5, 1977 | July 5, 1977 |  Pakistan Army
|
 Government
|
South Asia |
| Ogaden War | July 13, 1977 | March 15, 1978 | Somalia WSLFSupported by: |
 Ethiopia Cuba Soviet Union South YemenSupported by: |
Eastern Africa |
| Egyptian–Libyan War | July 21, 1977 | July 24, 1977 | Egypt
|
Libya
|
North Africa |
| Shaba II | May 11, 1978 | June 1978 | Zaire France Belgium Morocco United States
|
Front for the National Liberation of the Congo
|
Central Africa |
| Korean Air Lines Flight 902 | April 20, 1978 | April 20, 1978 | South Korea
|
Soviet Union
|
Northern Europe |
| Uganda-Tanzania War | October 9, 1978 | June 3, 1979 | Uganda
|
 Tanzania
|
Eastern Africa |
| Cambodian–Vietnamese War | December 21, 1978 | September 26, 1989 | Democratic Kampuchea CGDK/NGC (1982–1990)
|
 Vietnam FUNSK People's Republic of Kampuchea State of Cambodia
|
Southeast Asia |
| Iranian Revolution | January 16, 1979 | February 1979 | Imperial State of Iran
|
Revolution Council Interim Government
|
Southern Asia |
| Sino-Vietnamese War | February 17, 1979 | March 16, 1979 | China
|
Vietnam Supported by: Soviet Union
|
Southeast Asia |
| March 13th Revolution of 1979 | March 13, 1979 | March 13, 1979 |  Grenada
|
NJM | Caribbean |
| Salvadoran Civil War | May 9, 1979 | January 16, 1992 | Salvadoran government United States
|
 FMLN (CRM)
|
Central America |
| Soviet–Afghan War | December 24, 1979 | February 15, 1989 |   Sunni MujahideenSupported by: Pakistan Saudi Arabia United States United Kingdom China West Germany Egypt Israel
Marxist-Leninist-Maoist rebels |
Soviet Union Afghanistan East Germany
|
Central Asia |
Since 1980s
[edit]| Conflict | Start date | End date | Western Bloc related | Eastern Bloc related | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Internal conflict in Peru | May 17, 1980 | 1999/Present |  Peru
|
 Shining Path Militarized Communist Party of Peru Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement
|
South America |
| Gwangju Uprising | May 18, 1980 | May 27, 1980 | South Korea
|
Demonstrators | Eastern Asia |
| Iran–Iraq War | September 22, 1980 | August 20, 1988 | Iraq
|
 Iran
|
Persian Gulf |
| Somali Civil War (first phase) | 1981/1988 | January 27, 1991 | USC SNM SSDF SPM
|
Somali Democratic Republic
|
Eastern Africa |
| Falklands War | April 2, 1982 | June 14, 1982 | United Kingdom
|
Argentina
|
South America |
| 1982 Ethiopian–Somali Border War | June 23, 1982 | August 3, 1982 | Somalia
|
Ethiopia SSDF
|
Eastern Africa |
| Korean Air Lines Flight 007 | September 1, 1983 | September 1, 1983 | South Korea
|
Soviet Union
|
Eastern Asia |
| Invasion of Grenada | October 25, 1983 | December 15, 1983 | United States Caribbean Peace Force |
Grenada |
Caribbean |
| People Power Revolution | February 22, 1986 | February 25, 1986 |  Government
|
Opposition
|
Southeast Asia |
| 1986 United States bombing of Libya | April 15, 1986 | April 15, 1986 | United States
|
Libya
|
North Africa |
| 1987–1989 JVP insurrection | April 15, 1987 | December 29, 1989 |
|
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna
|
South Asia |
| Brașov rebellion | November 15, 1987 | November 15, 1987 | Worker rebellion |  Romania
|
Central Europe |
| 8888 Uprising | March 12, 1988 | September 21, 1988 | Pro-democracy Opposition |  Government
|
Southeast Asia |
| Afghan Civil War | February 15, 1989 | April 27, 1992 |  MujahideenSupported by: Pakistan
|
 Afghanistan
|
Central Asia |
| Revolutions of 1989 | March 9, 1989 | April 27, 1992 | Democratic Movement | Eastern Bloc and Dictatorship | Central/Eastern Europe |
| Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 | April 15, 1989 | June 4, 1989 | Beijing Students' Autonomous Federation Beijing Workers' Autonomous Federation Pro-democracy protesters Other opposition |
Government of China
|
Eastern Asia |
| Velvet Revolution | November 17, 1989 | December 29, 1989 | Opposition
|
Government
|
Central Europe |
| Mongolian Revolution of 1990 | December 10, 1989 | March 9, 1990 |  Protesters
|
 Mongolian People's Republic
|
Central Asia |
| United States invasion of Panama | December 20, 1989 | January 31, 1990 | United States Panamanian opposition
|
Panama
|
Central America |
| Romanian Revolution | December 16, 1989 | December 25, 1989 |  Revolutionaries
|
Government
|
Central Europe |
Since 1990s
[edit]| Conflict | Start date | End date | Western Bloc related | Eastern Bloc related | Region |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gulf War | August 2, 1990 | February 28, 1991 | Kuwait United States United Kingdom Saudi Arabia Egypt France
|
 Iraq
|
Western Asia |
| Yugoslav Wars | March 31, 1991 | November 12, 2001 |  Slovenia Croatia Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina NATO KLA UÇPMB
|
SFR Yugoslavia FR Yugoslavia Republic of Serbian Krajina Republika Srpska AP Western Bosnia
|
Eastern Europe |
| 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt | August 19, 1991 | August 21, 1991 | All-Union Government of the USSR
|
State Committee on the State of Emergency
|
Eastern Europe |
See also
[edit]- History of Communism (September 3, 1945 - December 31, 1992)
- List of wars 1945-1989
References
[edit]- ^ The Fifty-Year War: Conflict and Strategy in the Cold War, Norman Friedman (1999) ISBN 978-1557502643
- ^ The Global Cold War: Third World Interventions and the Making of Our Times, Odd Arne Westad (2005) ISBN 978-0521853644
- ^ https://www.cipdh.gob.ar/memorias-situadas/en/lugar-de-memoria/biafran-war-memories/#:~:text=The%20Nigerian%20Civil%20War%2C%20also,the%20name%20of%20Biafra%20Republic.
- ^ Farrell, Tom (March 12, 2014). "North Korea's role in Sri Lanka's bloody insurgencies". NK News. Archived from the original on February 20, 2017.