Jean-Honoré Fragonard

Shortest war in history

On August 27, 1896, Britain declared war on its protectorate Zanzibar, where a pretender to the Sultanate had just siezed power. 

At 9:02am, British ships in the habor began shelling the would-be Sultan's palace.  

By 9:40, the shelling had stopped, the palace was on fire, and the pretender's flag had been cut down.

At 38 minutes, the Anglo-Zanzibar War remains the shortest war on record.

Some 500 Zanzibaris were killed.

One British Petty Officer was wounded.