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THE SHORTEST WAR IN HISTORY LASTED 38 MINUTES
April 30, 20260 views
The shortest war in history didn’t last days… or even hours. In 1896, Britain and Zanzibar went to war and it was over in just 38 minutes. It started after a dispute over who should rule Zanzibar. When the British issued an ultimatum, it was ignored. So war began. British warships bombarded the palace… and less than an hour later, it was destroyed and Zanzibar surrendered. A full-scale war shorter than a lunch break.