The Shortest War in History Lasted 38 Minutes
The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes — Britain vs Zanzibar in 1896.
Fact-checked · 2 verified sourcesReviewed by the CurioVault curator · 8 October 2026 · Last updated 7 October 2026 · Editorial standards
The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes.
On 27 August 1896, after the pro-British Sultan of Zanzibar died, his cousin Khalid bin Barghash seized power without British approval. Britain demanded he step down by 9am. He barricaded himself in the palace with 2,800 men and a yacht.
At 9:02am, three British cruisers opened fire. By 9:40am, the palace was in ruins, 500 Zanzibaris dead or wounded, Khalid had fled, and the war was over. One British sailor was injured.
The Anglo-Zanzibar War is in Guinness World Records as the shortest war ever. Zanzibar became a British protectorate for 67 more years. Khalid hid in the German consulate and escaped to German East Africa. The palace's flagpole was the last thing to fall - the British kept shooting until it did.
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