After fighting in the Kuban campaign in February and March 1920, the division was sent to the Western Front in April.

At the beginning of the German invasion of the Soviet Union, it was stationed in the Blagoveshchensk area, and did not participate in the fighting on the Eastern Front of World War II.

On 9 August 1945 it participated in the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, crossing the River Amur and Ussuri, and capturing several cities in China, defeating the Kwantung Army.

On 14 September 1945, it was given the honorific 'Amur,' and thus its full name became '12th Rifle Division behalf of Amur Siberian Revolutionary Committee.'

It became the 12th Motor Rifle Division on 17 May 1957 at Belogorsk, Amur Oblast with the Far Eastern Military District.