| 300th Rifle Division (July 10, 1941 - April 16, 1943) 300th Rifle Division (August 9, 1943 - April 14, 1946) | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1941–1946 |
| Country |  Soviet Union |
| Branch | &sq=Envato&lang=en&file=File:Red_Army_flag_(Fictitious).svg){kind=small} Red Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | Operation Barbarossa Battle of Kiev (1941) First Battle of Kharkov Second Battle of Kharkov Operation Blue Battle of Stalingrad Operation Uranus Operation Little Saturn Battle of Rostov (1943) Soviet invasion of Manchuria Battle of Mutanchiang |
| Battle honours | Harbin (2nd Formation) |
| Commanders | |
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The 300th Rifle Division began service as a standard Red Army rifle division shortly after the German invasion, and fought in the southwestern part of the Soviet-German front for nearly two years following. It was able to escape the encirclement east of Kiev in September, 1941, and then fought to defend, and later to try to liberate, the city of Kharkov during 1941-42. After falling back under the weight of the German 1942 summer offensive, the division began distinguish itself during Operation Uranus in late 1942, when it helped defeat the German attempt to relieve Sixth Army and later in the pursuit of the defeated Axis forces and the second liberation of Rostov-na-Donu. In recognition of these successes it was raised to Guards status as the 87th Guards Rifle Division. A second 300th Rifle Division was raised a few months later and fought briefly but very successfully against the Japanese in Manchuria in August 1945. The second formation became the 3rd Tank Division in the Far East postwar and was redesignated as the 46th Tank Division in 1957 before disbanding in 1959.