Cold War Conflicts - Mapped (1945 - 1991)

Year

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A conflict between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, fought intermittently resulting in a Communist victory, while the Nationalist retreated to Taiwan.

This conflict was fought between the Greek government, supported by the United States and Britain, and communist insurgents backed by Yugoslavia, Albania, and Bulgaria. It was the first proxy war of the Cold War and ended with a government victory, keeping Greece in the Western bloc.

This conflict was fought between British colonial forces and communist insurgents in the region. The insurgents, mostly ethnic Chinese, aimed to overthrow British rule in Malaysia and establish a communist state. The conflict ended with the defeat of the insurgents and the eventual independence of the region.

A war fought on a divided peninsula, beginning with an invasion from the North. The conflict saw international involvement, with China and the Soviet Union supporting one side and a US-led coalition backing the other, resulting in a bloody stalemate and the first of the three prominent Cold War conflicts.

This revolution was the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista's regime and the establishment of a new Cuban government led by Fidel Castro.

This revolution was a CIA-backed coup that overthrew the democratically elected Prime Minister. It aimed to secure Western oil interests after the nationalization of the country's oil industry. The coup reinstated the monarch, strengthening his autocratic rule and ensuring Western control over oil resources.

This struggle was a major armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN) which led to the country winning its independence from France.

A prolonged conflict in Southeast Asia, where one side was backed by communist powers and the other by the United States, leading to extensive use of guerilla warfare in the jungles and a major defeat for the US forces in the Tet Offensive. This war was the second one of the three prominent Cold War conflicts.

This revolution was a nationwide uprising against Soviet control and the Communist government in Hungary. It began with student protests and quickly escalated into a mass movement demanding political reform and freedom, but it was crushed by Soviet military intervention.

A conflict related to the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia involved Royalists, Communists, and US-backed forces, with devastating air raids and years of guerilla warfare.

This was a crisis which began almost immediately after the country became independent from Belgium and ended, unofficially, with the entire country under the rule of Joseph-Désiré Mobutu.

This conflict was a brutal civil war between the Guatemalan government and leftist guerrilla groups. It was marked by widespread human rights abuses, including massacres of Indigenous communities, such as the Maya people, and was fueled by Cold War tensions, with U.S. support for the government against communist influences.

This war a protracted armed conflict between the MPLA, a communist armed organization supported by the Soviet Union and Cuba, and other armed groups, most prominently the anti-communist groups UNITA and FNLA, supported by the United States and its allies.

This conflict was a failed CIA-backed invasion where Cuban exiles attempted to overthrow Fidel Castro's government by invading Cuba, leading to them being defeated within three days and a decisive victory for Cuba, which increased Cold War tensions.

This wall symbolized the Cold War division between the Communist East and the Capitalist West. It physically separated families and blocked escape routes from the Eastern bloc to the West, becoming a symbol of the ideological conflict between the Soviet-led and U.S.-backed spheres.

This was an armed independence movement where insurgents engaged in guerrilla warfare to liberate their nation from the control of the Ethiopian Empire under Haile Selassie and later the Derg under Mengistu.

The Soviet Union began to secretly install missiles in Cuba to launch attacks on U.S. cities. The confrontation that followed brought the two superpowers to the brink of nuclear war before an agreement was reached to withdraw the missiles.

Two Asian neighbor countries fought a brief war over disputed Himalayan borders. The war ended quickly, with one side making significant territorial gains before declaring a ceasefire.

This conflict involved a white minority government in Rhodesia fighting against nationalist guerrilla groups seeking independence and majority rule. The war was marked by intense battles and external support for both sides during the Cold War. It ended with a peace agreement, leading to the establishment of a new government and majority rule.

This crisis involved mass killings of communists and suspected leftists after an attempted coup. The military, led by Suharto, targeted individuals and groups linked to the communist party, resulting in an estimated 500,000 to 1 million deaths.

Two South Asian nations clashed over a disputed region. the conflict included the largest tank battle since the Second World War at Assal Uttar and ended in a stalemate, with a ceasefire brokered by international powers in Tashkent.

This large scale war was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Angola. It was fought between the South African Defence Force (SADF) and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), an armed wing of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO).

A brutal conflict where communist insurgents overthrew the government of a Southeastern nation, followed by a regime infamous for mass executions. This era, led by the Khmer Rouge, resulted in one of history's worst genocides and millions of deaths.

A lightning-fast conflict saw one Middle Eastern country defeat multiple neighbors, gaining significant territory.

This was a war which was chiefly fought in southeastern Nigeria, where the secessionist state of Biafra launched a revolutionary war against Nigeria. Ultimately, Nigeria won the war and reincorporated Biafra into the country.

This conflict saw Warsaw Pact forces invade to suppress political reforms during the Prague Spring. The invasion aimed to maintain communist control, leading to widespread resistance and a return to a more rigid regime.

During the Sino-Soviet split, the two Communist giants clashed over border disputes, resulting in brief but deadly skirmishes before tensions eased.

A war sparked by the refusal to honor election results in a South Asian nation, leading to a brutal crackdown under ''Operation Searchlight.'' Marked by widespread atrocities, the conflict resulted in the creation of a new nation.

A surprise attack during a religious holiday saw two Middle Eastern fighting fiercely, with external powers aiding both sides.

This civil war was a military conflict fought between the Ethiopian military junta known as the Derg and Ethiopian-Eritrean anti-government rebels.

A brutal civil war broke out in the 1970's in a Middle Eastern country, fueled by sectarian tensions and foreign interference. Factions fought for control, leading to widespread violence like the Sabra and Shatila Massacre, where thousands of refugees were killed.

This was a major war in the Ogaden region where the Western Somali Liberation Front (WSLF) waged a guerrilla war against the Ethiopian government. After the war, an estimated 800,000 people crossed the border into Somalia where they would be displaced as refugees for the next 15 years.

This civil war was first fought to gain independence from Portugal, and then was fought between the FRELIMO government and the RENAMO, which resulted in over 1 million deaths and ended with a peace agreement in 1992, leading to multiparty elections in 1994.

This conflict began with an invasion that ousted the Khmer Rouge and Pol Pot from power. The Vietnamese forces quickly advanced, capturing Phnom Penh and installing a new government, while border clashes continued for years.

A brief war broke out between two communist nations after one invaded in retaliation for the others invasion of its ally, the Khmer Rouge. The fighting caused heavy losses on both sides before withdrawal.

This revolution was led by the Sandinista National Liberation Front against the ruling dictatorship. It resulted in the overthrow of the government, with the Sandinistas taking control and implementing socialist reforms. The U.S opposed the Sandinistas, supporting the Contra rebels in a lengthy civil conflict.

This conflict was fought between the Salvadoran government, supported by the U.S, and leftist guerrilla groups. It was marked by widespread violence, including massacres and human rights abuses, and ended with the signing of peace accords, though the country continued to struggle with violence and inequality.

Soviet forces invaded a Central Asian country to support a communist government, facing fierce resistance from local insurgents like the Mujahideen. The United States supported the rebels, and the Soviets eventually withdrew, but the war left the country devastated. This war was the last one of the three prominent Cold War conflicts.

This conflict involved a U.S. military invasion of a small Carribean island nation aimed at overthrowing the Marxist government and restoring order after a coup. The operation led to the defeat of the new regime and the establishment of a pro-Western government, amid concerns over Soviet influence in the region.

This conflict saw a U.S. invasion to remove Manuel Noriega from power. The military operation aimed to depose Noriega, restore democracy, and safeguard U.S. interests, though it resulted in significant destruction in the capital city.