The Shortest War Lasted Just 38 Minutes

Welcome to Trivia Waves, where we broadcast the most mind-blowing facts to spark your curiosity! Let’s kick things off with a historical tidbit that’ll leave you stunned: did you know the shortest war in history lasted just 38 minutes? Tune in as we travel back to 1896 for a lightning-fast conflict that’s almost too wild to believe.

The war in question was the Anglo-Zanzibar War, fought on August 27, 1896, between the British Empire and the tiny island sultanate of Zanzibar, off the coast of East Africa. It all started when Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini died, and his cousin, Khalid bin Barghash, seized the throne without British approval. The British, who had a treaty with Zanzibar, demanded Khalid step down and installed their preferred successor, Hamud bin Muhammed. When Khalid refused, the British issued an ultimatum: surrender by 9:00 AM or face war.

Khalid didn’t budge, so at 9:02 AM, British warships opened fire on the sultan’s palace. The bombardment was relentless—over 500 shells rained down, setting the wooden palace ablaze and sinking Zanzibar’s only warship, a small yacht armed with a few cannons. By 9:40 AM, Khalid had fled, the palace was in ruins, and the war was over. In just 38 minutes, the British had won, making it the shortest recorded war in history. Khalid later sought refuge in the German consulate before being exiled, and Hamud took the throne as a British puppet.

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it war shows how quickly history can change—and how even the smallest conflicts can leave a big mark. At Trivia Waves, we’re all about sharing these incredible stories that make the past come alive, and we’ve got plenty more to broadcast.

What’s the wildest history fact you’ve ever heard? Drop us a line at contact@triviaradio.com—we’d love to hear from you! If you enjoyed this trivia, share it with your fellow fact fans and stay tuned for more waves of knowledge that’ll blow your mind.