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The shortest war in history lasted 38 minutes

The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on August 27, 1896. Zanzibar surrendered after just 38 minutes, making it the shortest war in recorded history. The war was sparked by a dispute over who should be the ruler of Zanzibar, with the British supporting one candidate and the Zanzibari people supporting another. The British warship HMS Philomel bombarded the city, leading to Zanzibar's quick surrender. This unusual conflict is well-documented in historical records and is widely recognized as the shortest war in history.