Christmas Uprising

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Christmas Uprising

Date	January 7, 1919
Location	Annexed Montenegro, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
Result	Decisive Allied victory

Belligerents

Montenegrin Greens

Kingdom of Italy

Montenegrin Youth (Whites)

France

British Empire

United States

Commanders

Krsto Zrnov Popović

Marko Daković

Casualties and losses

high

low

The Christmas Uprising or Christmas Rebellion (Serbian: Божићна побуна or Božićna pobuna) refers to events organized by the Montenegrin emigration in Italy, which occurred in Montenegro after the First World War.

The catalyst was the decision of the Grand People's Assembly of the Serb People in Montenegro (The Podgorica Parliament) for unification of Montenegro with the Kingdom of Serbia. The uprising was named after the Orthodox Christmas of January 7, 1919, when it occurred. The Montenegrin Youth under the command of the former Montenegrin Minister defeated the instigators near Cetinje. The proponents of the rebellion went back to Italy or into hiding, continuing a guerrilla war under the banner of the self-styled Montenegrin Army in Exile.

The uprising was led by Krsto Zrnov Popović and its political leader was Jovan S. Plamenac. After it occurred the dethroned King Nicholas immediately issued a call for peace, but several bands of outlaws continued to resist until 1926.

[edit] Italian role

Krsto Zrnov Popović, leader of the Uprising

Though the actual rebellion was started by local Montenegrin chieftains, it is widely believed that the Kingdom of Italy played an instrumental role in its organizing. Various Italian figures visited prominent Montenegrins who were known to be dissatisfied with the decisions of Podgorica Assembly in order to spur them on to take up arms and rebel.

The Italian involvement came on the heels of their unsuccessful November 1918 attempt to occupy Montenegro under the guise of joint allied American support.

The Kingdom of Italy was vehemently opposed to the creation of joint South Slavic state Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and the Italians disputed many of the new kingdom's coastal territories (Istria and Dalmatia). Their support of the Montenegrin uprising was seen as part of a larger attempt to stretch the already frail defense capability of the newly created South Slavic state which would make it easier for Italians to attack the new state's still undefined borders.