The shortest war in history lasted just 38 minutes
The Anglo-Zanzibar War on August 27, 1896, lasted only 38 minutes, making it the shortest war ever recorded and a stark example of colonial power.
Imagine a war that began and ended before your coffee got cold! The Anglo-Zanzibar War on August 27, 1896, holds the record for history's shortest conflict, lasting a mere 38 minutes. It erupted when a new sultan seized power in Zanzibar, a British protectorate, without British approval.
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