How long did the shortest war in history last?
Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Africa, which now belongs to the nation of Tanzania.
In 1896, Said Khalid seized power in Zanzibar and proclaimed himself a sultan. A British fleet soon arrived at the port of Zanzibar and ordered the sultan to leave the royal palace.
The sultan refused to leave. At 9:02 a.m. on August 27, British ships began firing at the palace, beginning a war between Britain and Zanzibar. The sultan's only warship sank quickly, and the palace was destroyed. At 9:40 in the morning, the sultan surrendered the palace, and the war ended.
This "war" was the shortest in history. It lasted a total of 38 minutes! The British later demanded money from the people of Zanzibar to pay for the shells that British warships had used to win the war.
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Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Africa, which now belongs to the nation of Tanzania.
In 1896, Said Khalid seized power in Zanzibar and proclaimed himself a sultan. A British fleet soon arrived at the port of Zanzibar and ordered the sultan to leave the royal palace.
The sultan refused to leave. At 9:02 a.m. on August 27, British ships began firing at the palace, beginning a war between Britain and Zanzibar. The sultan's only warship sank quickly, and the palace was destroyed. At 9:40 in the morning, the sultan surrendered the palace, and the war ended.
This "war" was the shortest in history. It lasted a total of 38 minutes! The British later demanded money from the people of Zanzibar to pay for the shells that British warships had used to win the war.
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