What is the shortest war in the world?

The shortest war in history lasted only 38 to 45 minutes.

It was the Anglo-Zanzibar War, which took place on August 27, 1896. The conflict occurred between the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar (now part of Tanzania) after the death of the pro-British Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini. His successor, Khalid bin Barghash, was not recognized by the British, leading to a confrontation.

When British ultimatums were ignored, British warships bombarded the Sultan's palace and other key locations in Zanzibar. The Sultan's forces were overwhelmed, and the conflict was effectively over in less than an hour. The war resulted in hundreds of Zanzibari casualties and minimal British losses. Following the swift defeat, the British installed a new Sultan who was more amenable to their interests