The 1939–1945 Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for award to subjects of the British Commonwealth for service in the Second World War. The Burma Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 for award to subjects of the British Commonwealth who served in the Second World War, specifically in the Burma Campaign from 1941 to 1945. The Defence Medal is a campaign medal that was instituted by the United Kingdom in May 1945 to be awarded to subjects of the British Commonwealth for both non-operational military and certain types of civilian service during the Second World War. The War Medal 1939–1945 is a campaign medal that was instituted by the United Kingdom on 16 August 1945 for award to subjects of the British Commonwealth who had served full-time in the Armed Forces or the Merchant Navy for at least 28 days between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945.