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The Shortest War in History was Fought Over a Painting

The Anglo-Zanzibar War, fought between the United Kingdom and Zanzibar on August 27, 1896, lasted only 38 minutes. It was sparked by a dispute over who should be the ruler of Zanzibar, with the UK backing a rival claimant to the throne. The war was sparked by a disagreement over the succession of the ruler of Zanzibar, and was ended when the British warship HMS Philomel opened fire on the city, forcing the Zanzibari forces to surrender.