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The shortest war in history is often cited as the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which took place on August 27, 1896 between the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar. This war lasted an astonishingly brief 38 minutes, making it the shortest recorded conflict in military history.
Background
The war was triggered by a succession crisis in Zanzibar. When the Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini of Zanzibar died on August 25, 1896, his successor, Sultan Khalid bin Barghash, ascended to the throne without the approval of the British authorities, who had significant influence in the region.
The British preferred another candidate, Sultan Hamoud bin Mohammed, and demanded that Khalid step down. When Khalid refused to abdicate, tensions escalated. The British issued an ultimatum, threatening military action if the sultan did not surrender.
The Conflict
On the morning of August 27, the British launched a bombardment against the palace of Sultan Khalid, whose forces were vastly outnumbered and outgunned. The British navy, which was stationed in the harbor, unleashed artillery fire on the palace and other key targets in Zanzibar City, including the palace's defenses and the sultan’s private residence.
Despite some resistance from the Sultan’s forces, which included about 2,800 soldiers and a small fleet of vessels, the British had superior firepower, with modern warships, including the HMS St George, HMS Racoon, and HMS Satellite, which quickly crippled the sultan’s defenses.
Within 38 minutes, Sultan Khalid's palace was destroyed, and his forces were overwhelmed. Sultan Khalid fled, seeking asylum in the German consulate, and was eventually exiled to East Africa.
Aftermath
The British victory solidified their control over the island of Zanzibar, which became a British protectorate. Sultan Hamoud, the British-backed successor, was installed as the new sultan. The war, despite its brevity, marked a significant point in the broader context of British imperialism in East Africa.
In the end, the Anglo-Zanzibar War became infamous not just for its brevity but for highlighting the dramatic technological and military power disparity between the British and the Zanzibari forces. It remains a fascinating and often cited example of how geopolitics could lead to conflicts of extraordinary brevity.