Toplica Uprising

Toplica Uprising
Part of Serbian Campaign of World War I
Date
  • 24 February–25 March 1917
  • (1 month and 1 day)
Location
Result
  • Austro-Bulgarian victory
  • Uprising Suppressed
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
Units involved

Chetnik detachments:

  • Toplica
  • Jablanica
  • Ibar-Kopaonik
  • Pirot
  • Krajina
  • Morava Oblast forces
  • IMARO detachments
Strength
10,000
  • 60,000
  • artillery
  • airplanes
Casualties and losses
c. 20,000 Serbian casualties in penal expeditions

The Toplica Uprising (Serbian: Топлички устанак) was a mass uprising by Serbian rebels against the Bulgarian occupation forces that took place in Bulgarian occupied Serbia during the First World War. The rebels were motivated by grievances against the Bulgarian authorities for ordering conscription of local Serbs in the Bulgarian army, forced labour and the denationalization policy imposed on the indigenous population. The revolt was supported by Serbian guerrilla fighters known as Chetniks.

The Toplica uprising lasted from 24 February to 25 March 1917. It was the only uprising in an occupied country during the entire First World War; Serbian sources claim that as many as 20,000 Serbs died in the revolt and its aftermath.