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Which war lasted only about 40 minutes in 1896?
British ships bombarded the Sultan of Zanzibar's palace. Accounts give 38 to 45 minutes.
The Anglo-Zanzibar War took place on 27 August 1896. The pro-British sultan, Hamad bin Thuwaini, died on 25 August, and his cousin Khalid bin Barghash took the palace without British approval. Britain had a treaty-based protectorate-style influence and favored another candidate, Hamud bin Muhammed, so it demanded that Khalid stand down.
Khalid refused and barricaded himself with several thousand men, many of them armed civilians and palace guards. Rear Admiral Harry Rawson had five Royal Navy ships off the coast, including the cruiser St. George. After the deadline passed at 9 a.m., the ships opened fire. Britannica says the bombardment lasted about 40 minutes, and other accounts give anywhere from 38 to 45 minutes, depending on how the start and stop are counted.
Casualties were lopsided. Britannica reports roughly 500 Zanzibari casualties and one British injury, though casualty figures in such accounts are estimates. The palace and a small Zanzibari vessel, the Glasgow, were destroyed. Khalid fled to the German consulate and later escaped to German East Africa, and Hamud was installed that afternoon. The 'shortest war' title is usually treated as a record for recorded wars, but it depends on whether the event is classed as a war or a punitive action.