The Shortest War in History Lasted 38 Minutes but Killed 500 People

Wars are usually remembered for their long sieges, years of trench fighting and devastation spread across generations. Zanzibar's conflict with the British Empire lasted less than an hour, yet around 500 people were killed.

The exact duration remains disputed. Some accounts put the fighting at 38 minutes, while others say it lasted 46. Either way, it is widely described as the shortest military conflict in history. The war was one of many colonial conflicts on the African continent, but none matched its brevity.

The fighting broke out in Zanzibar, now known for its white-sand beaches and turquoise waters. Behind that tourist image lies a history shaped by slavery, military conflict and colonial rule. In the 19th century, Zanzibar became East Africa's largest and most important slave-trading center. Captured people were brought from the interior to the coast, where they were sold or sent to the Middle East, India and local spice plantations, especially those growing cloves.

The world's last major slave market operated in Mkunazini, in Stone Town, until Britain pressured authorities to close it in 1873. Arab merchants had occupied the island from the eighth century, using it as a trading entrepôt between the African coast and India and spreading Islam along the East African coast. Portugal took control in the 16th century, but Arab rule returned in the 17th century under the Sultanate of Oman. During that period, Zanzibar and Madagascar became important centers for the trade in enslaved people and ivory across the Indian Ocean. Omani rulers also built Stone Town and a palace, along with infrastructure supporting the slave trade.