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Events on Thursday 27 August 1896 1
1896Anglo-Zanzibar WarThe shortest recorded war in historyOn 27 August 1896 British forces bombarded the palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar after he ascended the throne without British approval, ending the fighting in roughly 40 minutes. It is recorded as the shortest war in history. The bombardment secured British control over the choice of sultan and cemented Zanzibar's status as a British protectorate.