Krsto Popović
Krsto Popović (Serbian Cyrillic: Крсто Поповић; 13 September 1881 – 14 March 1947) was an officer of the Montenegrin Army who fought in the Balkan Wars and in the First World War.
Krsto Popović | |
|---|---|
| Native name | Крсто Поповић |
| Nickname(s) | Krsto Zrnov |
| Born | 13 September 1881 Lipa, Cetinje, Montenegro |
| Died | 14 March 1947 (aged 65) Grahovo, PR Montenegro, Yugoslavia |
| Allegiance | Principality of Montenegro Kingdom of Montenegro Italian governorate of Montenegro |
| Service/ | Army |
| Years of service | 1912–1947 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Unit | Greens Lovćen Brigade |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards | Obilić Medal |
Dissatisfied with the Podgorica Assembly of 1918 which merged Serbia and Montenegro into what would become Yugoslavia, he became one of the leaders of the 1919 Christmas Uprising on the side of the Greens who supported the newly dethroned King Nikola of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty and who favored a confederation of Yugoslavia that still gave Montenegro a form of independence in skirmishes against the Whites who favored King Alexander of the Karađorđević dynasty and complete annexation of Montenegro into Yugoslavia.
After the uprising failed, Popović emigrated to Italy, but returned in June 1919 to start guerrilla warfare. He eventually laid down arms after the death of King Nikola in 1921 and he was eventually pardoned by King Alexander after proclaiming allegiance to him. He lived out his remaining years in Yugoslavia relatively peacefully until the Second World War when he formed the Lovćen Brigade. For this, he was labelled a collaborator by the new Communist government and in 1947 he was killed in an ambush by agents of the OZNA.