This is a list of wars that began between 1945 and 1989. Other wars can be found in the historical lists of wars and the list of wars extended by diplomatic irregularity. Major conflicts of this period include the Chinese Civil War in Asia, the Greek Civil War in Europe, the Colombian civil war known as La Violencia in South America, the Vietnam War in Southeast Asia, the Ethiopian Civil War in Africa, and the Guatemalan Civil War in North America.
1945–1949 Started Ended Name of conflict Belligerents Victorious party (if applicable) Defeated party (if applicable)19451963Polish anti-communist resistance insurgency Polish Committee of National Liberation (until 1945) Polish People's Republic (from 1945)
MO ORMO ZOMO SB NKVD Supported by: Polish anti-communist resistance movements ("Unbroken Soldiers")
Home Army National Armed Forces Freedom and Independence Association ...and other various organized and un-organized groups19451962Romanian anti-communist resistance movementPart of World War II, the Cold War and anti-communist insurgencies in Central and Eastern Europe (until 1947) (from 1947) PCR Securitate Supported by: Anti-communist groups Nationalists Monarchists National Peasantists Iron Guards Supported by: CNR194519491945 Khuzestan revoltKhuzestan rebels19451945Conquest of al-Ghurfa Aden ProtectorateAl-Ghurfa19451950Crusader insurgencyCrusaders19451949Chinese Civil War (second phase)Part of the Chinese Communist Revolution and the Cold War 1945–1949 Yan'an Soviet (1949) 1945–1949 Republic of China19451945August RevolutionPart of the Civil War in Vietnam (1945-49), French Indochina in World War II, the South-East Asian theatre of World War II, the Pacific Theater of World War II, and the Decolonisation of Asia Việt Minh National Liberation Committee of Vietnam (from 16 to 25 August) Provisional Revolutionary Government of Democratic Republic of Vietnam (from 28 August) Vanguard Youth (from 22 August)Supported by: United States – Bình Xuyên Hòa Hảo Cao Đài Trotskyist Vietnam Revolutionary League Vietnamese Provisional National Government Việt Quốc Đại Việt Nationalist Empire of Vietnam National Unified Front Vanguard Youth (until 22 August) Supported by: Japan19451949Indonesian National RevolutionPart of the aftermath of World War II and the decolonisation of Asia Indonesia PDRI TNI POLRI Japanese holdouts British Indian volunteers Dutch East Indies KNIL NICA Pao An Tui
Japan
DI/TII (from 1949)
FDR
Small guerrilla groups1945OngoingKorean conflictPart of the Cold War in Asia (until 1991)19451946War in Vietnam (1945–46)Part of the aftermath of World War II and the Indochina Wars British Empire United Kingdom India France
Japan Southern Resistance Committee of Viet Minh Vanguard Youth National Guard
Vietnam People's Army Pro-Viet Minh Bình Xuyên
Hòa Hảo
Cao Đài
Anti-communist Bình Xuyên
Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng194519461945 Hazara RebellionHazara rebels Kingdom of Afghanistan19451946Iran crisis of 1946Part of the aftermath of the Second World War, prelude to the Cold War and Kurdish separatism in Iran IranSupported by: Azerbaijan People's Government Republic of Mahabad Tudeh Military NetworkSupported by:19461949Greek Civil WarPart of the Cold War (from 1947) Kingdom of Greece Hellenic Army Royal Hellenic Air Force Royal Hellenic Navy Royal Gendarmerie MAY (1946–1948) TEA (1948–1949) Supported by: (1944–1947) (1946–1949) Provisional Democratic Government Democratic Army Communist Party of Greece and allies Ex-EAM members and other communist guerrillas' local groups People's Civil Guard Supported by: (1946–1948) Bulgaria Albania (limited)19461954Hukbalahap RebellionPart of the Cold WarSupported by:19461946Autumn Uprising of 1946 United States Army Military Government in KoreaRight-wing groups: Korean National Youth AssociationNorthwest Youth LeagueCommunist Party of KoreaNational Council of Korean Labour Unions19461946Corfu Channel incidentPart of the Cold War Albania19461946Punnapra-Vayalar uprising Kingdom of TravanoreLaborers in Punnapra and Vayalar Communist Party of India19461954First Indochina WarPart of the Indochina Wars, the Civil war in Vietnam (1945-1949), the decolonization of Asia, and the Cold War in Asia Việt Minh Lao Issara (1945-1949) Pathet Lao (1949-1954) Khmer Issarak French Union France French Indochina State of Vietnam Kingdom of Cambodia
(1953–54) CIA19461951Telangana Rebellion1946–1948:
Hyderabad State
Durras of Hyderabad
Razakar movement (1947–1948)
Supported by:
(1946–1947) 1948–1951:
Government of India
Hyderabad State
Durras of Hyderabad
Supported by: Telangana peasants
Andhra Mahasabha
Communist Party of India
Supported by:
Congress socialists (Tirtha Group)
Socialist Party of India (1948–1951)19471947Paraguayan Civil War (1947)Part of the Cold War (from 12 March 1947) Paraguayan Government Military of Paraguay Colorado militias Supported by: Argentina United States Liberal Party Febrerista Revolutionary Concentration Paraguayan Communist Party19471949Malagasy UprisingPart of the decolonisation of Africa French colonial empire PADESM Malagasy secret societies Jiny Panama Local militiasMDRM Supported by: 194719471947 Poonch rebellion Azad Army Predominantly Sudhans in Poonch Pahari-speaking people in Mirpur Division
Supported by: Pakistan Jammu and Kashmir State Forces19471948Annexation of Junagadh19472026Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts Part of the Kashmir conflict and the Cold War (1971)19471949Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948 Part of the Indo-Pakistani wars, Kashmir conflict, and the Partition of India Pakistan194719481947–1948 civil war in Mandatory PalestinePart of the intercommunal conflict in Mandatory Palestine, the 1948 Palestine War and the decolonisation of Asia Jewish National Council Haganah Palmach Irgun Lehi Foreign volunteers Allied Bedouin tribes Arab Higher Committee Army of the Holy War Arab Liberation Army
Arab Legion
1948 or 19471949Safi RebellionSafi rebels19481948Al-Wathbah uprising Iraqi PoliceStudent Cooperation Committee (communists)Progressive DemocratsPopulistsKurdish DemocratsStudent wings of the National Democratic Party and the Independence Party19481948Costa Rican civil warPart of the Cold War National Liberation Army Ulatista Forces Caribbean Legion Supported by: Government of Costa Rica Calderon forces People's Vanguard Party Nicaraguan National Guard1948OngoingInternal conflict in Myanmar Union of Burma (1948–1962) Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (1962–1988) Union of Myanmar (1988–2011) (since 2011) SAC (since 2021) National Unity Government (since 2021) People's Defence Force
Ethnic armed organisations19481949Jeju uprising Part of the division of Korea and the Cold War United States Army Military Government in Korea (until August 1948) South Korea (from August 1948)Northwest Youth League Workers' Party of South Korea Local supporters19481958La Violencia Part of the Colombian Civil Wars and the Cold War Colombian Conservative Party Conservative party paramilitary groups Pájaros Chulavitas Colombian Liberal Party and allied militias Liberal party paramilitary groups Colombian Communist Party Grupos de Autodefensas Campesinas194819491948 Arab–Israeli WarPart of the 1948 Palestine war and the Arab–Israeli conflict Before 26 May 1948: Yishuv Paramilitary groups: Haganah Palmach Hish Him Irgun Lehi Allied Bedouin tribesPalestine Post, "Israel's Bedouin Warriors", Gene Dison, August 12, 1948After 26 May 1948: Israel Defense Forces Minorities Unit Foreign volunteers: Mahal : Oren 2003, p. 5. All-Palestine Protectorate Holy War Army
Syria
Gelber, pp. 55, 200, 239 Morris, Benny (2008), 1948: The First Arab-Israeli War, Yale University Press, p. 205, New Haven, .Irregulars: Arab Liberation Army Al-Najjada Holy War Army19481960Malayan EmergencyPart of the decolonization of Asia and Cold War in AsiaBritish Commonwealth forces: Federation of Malaya
(until 1957) (until 1957) Kenya (until 1953) (from 1953) Fiji Supported by:(Thai–Malaysian border)Communist forces: Malayan National Liberation Army19481948Annexation of Hyderabad Part of Telangana Rebellion and the Political integration of India19481948Madiun AffairPart of the Indonesian National Revolution Indonesia TNI POLRI People's Democratic Front PKI PS PBI SOBSI Pesindo19481948Yeosu–Suncheon rebellion Part of the division of Korea South Korea Workers' Party of South KoreaLocal supporters14th regiment19481950Pre-Korean War insurgencyAnti-government insurgents Pro-North Korean rebels194919491949 Hazara Rebellion Kingdom of AfghanistanHazara rebels19491956Palestinian Fedayeen insurgencyPart of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and Arab–Israeli conflict Palestinian Fedayeen19491949Palace Rebellion Phibun regime Royal Thai Army Democracy February 26 Movement Royal Thai Navy Royal Thai Marine Corps19491953Campaign to Suppress Bandits in Central and Southern China Part of the Chinese Civil War China National Revolutionary Army19491962Darul Islam rebellionPart of the aftermath of the Indonesian National Revolution and Cold War in Asia Republic of Indonesia Islamic State of Indonesia 426 Battalion (1951–1952)
Legion of the Just Ruler (until 1950)1949OngoingAfghanistan–Pakistan border skirmishes Part of the Taliban insurgency and Insurgency in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Afghanistan
Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (since 2012) Jamaat-ul-Ahrar (2015–2020)
1950–1959 Started Ended Name of conflict Belligerents Victorious party (if applicable) Defeated party (if applicable)19501958Kuomintang Islamic insurgencyPart of the Cross-Strait conflict, the Chinese Civil War, and the Cold War People's Republic of China Kuomintang19501950APRA coup d'étatPart of the aftermath of the Indonesian National Revolution TNI Legion of the Just Ruler (APRA)19501950Makassar UprisingPart of the aftermath of the Indonesian National Revolution Republic of Indonesia19501966Indonesian invasion of South MalukuPart of the aftermath of the Indonesian National Revolution TNI19501950La Revolución del 50Rebels25 June 195027 July 1953Korean WarPart of the Cold War and the Korean conflict19501950Battle of ChamdoPart of the Annexation of Tibet by the People's Republic of China and the Cold War Tibet19501954Puerto Rican Nationalist Party revolts of the 1950s Puerto Rico National Guard Puerto Rican Nationalist Party Cadets of the Republic1950s1960sReprisal operations (Israel) Part of the Palestinian Fedayeen insurgency (during the Arab–Israeli conflict) Palestinian fedayeen Supported by: Kingdom of Egypt Egypt (UAR) Jordan Syria19511951Manhattan RebellionPhibun's GovernmentGroup of naval officers19521955Buraimi disputeTrucial Emirates Emirate of Abu Dhabi British Empire Supported by Sultanate of Muscat and Oman Aden Protectorate Saudi Arabia Supported by Al Bu Shamis tribe Na'im tribe195219521952 Hazara Rebellion Afghanistan Rebels19521952Egyptian revolution of 1952Part of the decolonisation of Africa and Asia, the Cold War, and the Arab Cold War Free Officers MovementSupported by:Supported by:19521960Mau Mau rebellionPart of the decolonisation of Africa
Mau Mau rebels Kenya Land and Freedom Army
Maasai Bands (from 1954)19531953Air battle over MerklínPart of the Cold War195319531953 Plzeň uprisingPart of the Cold WarDemonstrators19531953East German uprising of 1953Part of the Cold War Anti-Stalinist demonstrators19531959Cuban Revolution Cuban Constitutional Army195319531953 Iranian coup d'étatPart of the Abadan Crisis and the Cold War Iranian Government supporters195419541954 Paraguayan coup d'état Paraguayan Army Colorado Party Government of Paraguay19541954Kengir uprising Soviet Army MVD Gulag authorities Kengir resistance19541954Annexation of Dadra and Nagar HaveliPart of the decolonisation of Asia and the Cold War Indian nationalists and communists United Front of Goans