War is never a good thing. It inevitably leads to the loss of life, the destruction of infrastructure, and while the argument can be made that it’s good for an economy, it’s never worth the cost. Wars sometimes last for years, and occasionally for decades, even generations, but once in a while wars are surprisingly short. In fact, The British once won a war in 38 minutes. The conflict took place in Zanzibar, and it certainly makes for an interesting story.
Khalid bin Barghash became the Sultan of Zanzibar in 1896 after the death of his predecessor, Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini, and the British were none too happy. British authorities demanded another Sultan be installed, and faced with an ultimatum from the British regiment, Khalid bin Barghash chose to barricade himself in the royal palace rather than leave with his forces. Although British forces were outnumbered nearly 3 to 1, they did have the support of two gunboats and three cruisers. The Anglo-Zanzibar War took place in Stone Town, Zanzibar City, and was over in a mere 38 minutes, making it the shortest war in history. The final casualty count was approximately 500 on the Zanzibar side, whereas only one British soldier sustained an injury. Khalid bin Barghash managed to escape the conflict and sought asylum in German East Africa.
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