The shortest war in the world. Anglo-Zanzibar War: causes and outcomes

In the nineteenth century the south-eastern part of Africa on the shores of the Indian Ocean ruled the dynasty of the Omani Sultanate. This small state flourished through active trade in ivory, spices and slaves. In order to ensure an uninterrupted market, it was necessary to cooperate with European powers. Historically, England, which had formerly dominated the sea and colonized Africa, began to have a permanent strong influence on the policy of the Omani Sultanate. At the direction of the British ambassador, the Zanzibar Sultanate separates from the Omani and becomes independent, although legally this state under the British protectorate was not. It is unlikely that this small country was mentioned on the pages of textbooks, if the military conflict that took place on its territory did not enter the annals of history as the shortest war in the world.

Political situation before the war

In the eighteenth century, various countries began to show keen interest in rich African lands. Germany, too, did not stand aside and bought land in East Africa. But she needed an outlet to the sea. Therefore, the Germans concluded an agreement on the lease of the coastal part of the Zanzibar Sultanate with the ruler Hamad ibn Tuwaini. At the same time, the Sultan did not want to lose the British. When the interests of England and Germany began to intersect, the incumbent Sultan suddenly died. He had no direct heirs, and his cousin Khalid ibn Bargash claimed his rights to the throne.

He quickly organized a coup d'état and took the title of Sultan. The speed and coherence of the actions with which all the necessary movements and formalities were made, as well as a sudden death from unknown causes of Hamad ibn Tuvaini, suggests that there was a successful assassination attempt on the Sultan. Support for Khalid ibn Bargash was provided by Germany. However, it was not in the British rules that it was so easy to lose territory. Even if officially they did not belong to her. The British Ambassador demanded that Khalid ibn Bargash abdicate in favor of Hamud bin Muhammad, another cousin of the deceased Sultan. However, confident in his forces and support from Germany Khalid ibn Bargash refused to do so.

Ultimatum

Hamad ibn Tuwaini died on 25 August. Already on August 26, without delaying the affairs of the long box, the British demanded the replacement of the Sultan. The United Kingdom did not simply refuse to recognize a coup d'état; it did not intend to admit it. The conditions were put in a rigid form: before 9 am the next day (August 27), the flag flying over the Sultan's palace was to be lowered, the army was disarmed and government powers were transferred. Otherwise, the Anglo-Zanzibar war was officially unleashed.

The next day, an hour before the announced time, a representative of the Sultan arrived at the British embassy. He asked for a meeting with Ambassador Basil Cave. The ambassador declined the meeting, saying that until all the demands of Britain were satisfied, there could be no talks about any negotiations.

Military forces of the parties

By this time, Khalid ibn Bargash already had an army of 2,800 soldiers. In addition, he armed several hundred slaves to guard the Sultan's palace, ordered the readiness of both 12-pound cannons and the Gatling gun (a sort of primitive machine gun on a stand with large wheels). In the arsenal of the Zanzibar army there were also several machine guns, 2 longboats and the "Glasgow" yacht.

From the British side there were 900 soldiers, 150 marines, three small warships used for fighting near the coast, and two cruisers equipped with artillery pieces.

Aware of the superiority of the enemy's firepower, Khalid ibn Bargash was still convinced that the British would not dare to start military operations. History is silent about what the German representative promised the new sultan, but further actions show that Khalid ibn Bargash was fully confident of his support.

The beginning of hostilities

British ships began to occupy combat positions. They surrounded the only defensive Zanzibar yacht, separating it from the shore. One yacht at the distance of the target's defeat was the yacht, on the other - the palace of the sultan. The clock counted down the last minutes until the appointed time. Exactly at 9 am the shortest war in the world began. Trained Gunners easily shot down the Zanzibar gun and continued methodical shelling of the palace.

In response, Glasgow was fired on the British cruiser. But the light boat did not have the slightest chance of confronting these bristling guns with a military mastodon. The first volley sent the yacht to the bottom. The Zanzibarians quickly lowered their flag, and British sailors rushed to rescue their unlucky opponents on lifeboats, saving them from imminent death.

Surrender

But on the palace flagpole the flag was still developing. Because there was no one to let him down. Not waiting for support, the Sultan left him among the first. His self-made army was also not particularly zealous for victory. Especially since the high-explosive shells from the ships mowed people like a ripe harvest. Wooden buildings were lit up, panic and horror reigned everywhere. And the shelling did not stop.

According to the laws of wartime, a raised flag signals the refusal of surrender. Therefore, the Sultan's palace, almost destroyed to the ground, continued to be watered with fire. Finally, one of the shells hit the flagstaff directly and knocked him down. At the same moment, Admiral Rawlings ordered the fire to cease.

How long did the war between Zanzibar and Britain last?

The first volley was made at 9 am. The order to cease fire was heard at 9:38. After that the British landing quickly occupied the ruins of the palace, without encountering any resistance. Thus, the shortest war in the world lasted only thirty-eight minutes. However, from this she did not become the most sparing. For several tens of minutes, 570 people died. Everything from the Zanzibar side. Among the British, one officer was wounded from the gunboat Drozd. Also during this brief campaign, the Zanzibar Sultanate lost all its small fleet, consisting of one yacht and two longboats.

Salvation of the disgraced sultan

Khalid ibn Bargash, who fled at the very beginning of the hostilities, was granted asylum in the German embassy. The new Sultan immediately issued a decree on his arrest, and British soldiers set up round-the-clock duty at the embassy's gate. So a month passed. The British were not going to take down their peculiar siege. And the Germans had to resort to a clever trick to take their protégé out of the country.

From the German cruiser Orlan, who arrived at the port of Zanzibar, a boat was removed, and the sailors on their shoulders brought her to the embassy. There Khalid ibn Bargash was put in a boat and in the same way they sent him aboard the Orlan. In international law, it was stipulated that the boats, along with the ship, are legally considered the territory of the country to which the ship belongs.

Results of the war

The result of the war of 1896 between England and Zanzibar was not just an unprecedented defeat of the latter, but also an actual deprivation of even that fraction of independence that the sultanate had earlier. Thus, the shortest war in the world had far-reaching consequences. British protege Hamud ibn Muhammad, until his death, unconditionally carried out all orders of the British ambassador, and so did his successors for the next seven decades.