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WORLD'S SHORTEST WAR LASTED FOR ONLY 45 MINUTES
Pravda, Russia
Oct 3 2007
Since Biblical times and before, man has been constantly fighting. It
seems that never a year goes by without one war or another starting or
finishing. Some of these wars take many years and have very high death
tolls, but there have also been some extraordinarily short wars. The
following is the list of world's shortest wars ever taken place.
5. Georgian-Armenian War lasted for 24 days
Georgian-Armenian War was a border war fought in 1918 between
the Democratic Republic of Georgia and the Democratic Republic
of Armenia over the parts of then disputed provinces of Lori,
Javakheti, and Borchalo district, which had been historically
bicultural Armenian-Georgian territories, but were largely populated
by Armenians in the 19th century. By the end of World War I some of
these territories were occupied by the Ottomans. When they abandoned
the region, both Georgians and Armenians claimed control. The dispute
degenerated into armed clashes on December 7, 1918. The hostilities
continued with varying success until December 31 when the British
brokered ceasefire was signed, leaving the disputed part of Borchalo
district under the joint Georgian-Armenian administration which lasted
until the establishment of the Soviet rule in Armenia in 1920.
4. Serbo-Bulgarian War lasted for 14 days
The Serbo-Bulgarian war was a war between Serbia and Bulgaria that
erupted on November 14, 1885 and lasted until November 28 the same
year. Final peace was signed on February 19, 1886 in Bucharest. As a
result of the war, European powers acknowledged the act of Unification
of Bulgaria which happened on September 6 1885. On November 28, the
Viennese ambassador in Belgrade, count Kevenhueller-Metsch, visited
the headquarters of the Bulgarian Army and demanded the ceasing of
military actions, threatening that otherwise the Bulgarian forces
would meet Austro-Hungarian troops.
Bulgaria's victories on the battlefield played the main role in
defending the Bulgarian unification. They spread Bulgaria's name and
infused respect towards united Bulgaria on behalf of its neighbors.
3. Indo-Pakistani War lasted for 13 days
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major conflict between India and
Pakistan. The war is closely associated with Bangladesh Liberation War
(sometimes also referred to as Pakistani Civil War). The Bangladesh
liberation war was a conflict between the traditionally dominant West
Pakistanis and the majority East Pakistanis. The war ignited after
the 1970 Pakistani election, in which the East Pakistani Awami League
won 167 of 169 seats in East Pakistan, thus securing a simple majority
in the 313-seat lower house of the Pakistani parliament. There is an
argument about exact dates of the war. However, the armed conflict
on India's western front during the period between 3 December 1971
and 16 December 1971 is called the Indo-Pakistani War by both the
Bangladeshi and Indian armies. The war ended in a defeat for the
Pakistani military in a fortnight.
2. 6 Day War lasted for 6 days
Following Israeli threats against its Syrian ally, Egypt amassed 1000
tanks and 100,000 soldiers on the border of the Sinai Peninsula,
closed the Straits of Tiran to all ships flying Israel flags or
carrying strategic materials, and called for unified Arab action
against Israel. On June 5, 1967, Israel launched the an attack
against Egypt's airforce. Jordan then attacked western Jerusalem
and Netanya. At the war's end, Israel had gained control of eastern
Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and the
Golan Heights. The results of the war affect the geopolitics of the
region to this day. Overall, Israel's territory grew by a factor of 3,
including about one million Arabs placed under Israel's direct control
in the newly captured territories. Israel's strategic depth grew to
at least 300 kilometers in the south, 60 kilometers in the east and 20
kilometers of extremely rugged terrain in the north, a security asset
that would prove useful in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War six years later.
1. Anglo-Zanzibar War lasted for only 45 minutes
The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and
Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. With a duration of only 45 minutes, it
holds the record of being the shortest war in recorded history. The
war broke out after Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini, who had willingly
co-operated with the British colonial administration, died on 25
August 1896, and his nephew, Khalid bin Bargash, seized power in what
amounted to a coup d'etat. The British favoured another candidate,
Hamud bin Muhammed, whom they believed would be easier to work with,
and delivered an ultimatum ordering Bargash to abdicate. Bargash
refused. While Bargash's troops set to fortifying the palace, the Royal
Navy assembled five warships in the harbour in front of the palace. The
British also landed parties of Royal Marines to support the "loyalist"
regular army of Zanzibar. Despite the Sultan's last-minute efforts
to negotiate for peace via the U.S. representative on the island,
the Royal Navy ships opened fire on the palace at 9 am on 27 August
1896 as soon as the ultimatum ran out.
With the palace falling down around him and escalating casualties,
Bargash beat a hasty retreat to the German consulate where he was
granted asylum. The shelling stopped after 45 minutes. The British
demanded that the Germans surrender the erstwhile Sultan to them,
but he escaped to sea on 2 October 1896. He lived in exile in Dar es
Salaam until captured by the British in 1916. He was later allowed
to live in Mombasa where he died in 1927. As a final act, Britain
demanded payment from the Zanzibar government to pay for the shells
fired on the country.
Pravda, Russia
Oct 3 2007
Since Biblical times and before, man has been constantly fighting. It
seems that never a year goes by without one war or another starting or
finishing. Some of these wars take many years and have very high death
tolls, but there have also been some extraordinarily short wars. The
following is the list of world's shortest wars ever taken place.
5. Georgian-Armenian War lasted for 24 days
Georgian-Armenian War was a border war fought in 1918 between
the Democratic Republic of Georgia and the Democratic Republic
of Armenia over the parts of then disputed provinces of Lori,
Javakheti, and Borchalo district, which had been historically
bicultural Armenian-Georgian territories, but were largely populated
by Armenians in the 19th century. By the end of World War I some of
these territories were occupied by the Ottomans. When they abandoned
the region, both Georgians and Armenians claimed control. The dispute
degenerated into armed clashes on December 7, 1918. The hostilities
continued with varying success until December 31 when the British
brokered ceasefire was signed, leaving the disputed part of Borchalo
district under the joint Georgian-Armenian administration which lasted
until the establishment of the Soviet rule in Armenia in 1920.
4. Serbo-Bulgarian War lasted for 14 days
The Serbo-Bulgarian war was a war between Serbia and Bulgaria that
erupted on November 14, 1885 and lasted until November 28 the same
year. Final peace was signed on February 19, 1886 in Bucharest. As a
result of the war, European powers acknowledged the act of Unification
of Bulgaria which happened on September 6 1885. On November 28, the
Viennese ambassador in Belgrade, count Kevenhueller-Metsch, visited
the headquarters of the Bulgarian Army and demanded the ceasing of
military actions, threatening that otherwise the Bulgarian forces
would meet Austro-Hungarian troops.
Bulgaria's victories on the battlefield played the main role in
defending the Bulgarian unification. They spread Bulgaria's name and
infused respect towards united Bulgaria on behalf of its neighbors.
3. Indo-Pakistani War lasted for 13 days
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 was a major conflict between India and
Pakistan. The war is closely associated with Bangladesh Liberation War
(sometimes also referred to as Pakistani Civil War). The Bangladesh
liberation war was a conflict between the traditionally dominant West
Pakistanis and the majority East Pakistanis. The war ignited after
the 1970 Pakistani election, in which the East Pakistani Awami League
won 167 of 169 seats in East Pakistan, thus securing a simple majority
in the 313-seat lower house of the Pakistani parliament. There is an
argument about exact dates of the war. However, the armed conflict
on India's western front during the period between 3 December 1971
and 16 December 1971 is called the Indo-Pakistani War by both the
Bangladeshi and Indian armies. The war ended in a defeat for the
Pakistani military in a fortnight.
2. 6 Day War lasted for 6 days
Following Israeli threats against its Syrian ally, Egypt amassed 1000
tanks and 100,000 soldiers on the border of the Sinai Peninsula,
closed the Straits of Tiran to all ships flying Israel flags or
carrying strategic materials, and called for unified Arab action
against Israel. On June 5, 1967, Israel launched the an attack
against Egypt's airforce. Jordan then attacked western Jerusalem
and Netanya. At the war's end, Israel had gained control of eastern
Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, the Sinai Peninsula, the West Bank, and the
Golan Heights. The results of the war affect the geopolitics of the
region to this day. Overall, Israel's territory grew by a factor of 3,
including about one million Arabs placed under Israel's direct control
in the newly captured territories. Israel's strategic depth grew to
at least 300 kilometers in the south, 60 kilometers in the east and 20
kilometers of extremely rugged terrain in the north, a security asset
that would prove useful in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War six years later.
1. Anglo-Zanzibar War lasted for only 45 minutes
The Anglo-Zanzibar War was fought between the United Kingdom and
Zanzibar on 27 August 1896. With a duration of only 45 minutes, it
holds the record of being the shortest war in recorded history. The
war broke out after Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini, who had willingly
co-operated with the British colonial administration, died on 25
August 1896, and his nephew, Khalid bin Bargash, seized power in what
amounted to a coup d'etat. The British favoured another candidate,
Hamud bin Muhammed, whom they believed would be easier to work with,
and delivered an ultimatum ordering Bargash to abdicate. Bargash
refused. While Bargash's troops set to fortifying the palace, the Royal
Navy assembled five warships in the harbour in front of the palace. The
British also landed parties of Royal Marines to support the "loyalist"
regular army of Zanzibar. Despite the Sultan's last-minute efforts
to negotiate for peace via the U.S. representative on the island,
the Royal Navy ships opened fire on the palace at 9 am on 27 August
1896 as soon as the ultimatum ran out.
With the palace falling down around him and escalating casualties,
Bargash beat a hasty retreat to the German consulate where he was
granted asylum. The shelling stopped after 45 minutes. The British
demanded that the Germans surrender the erstwhile Sultan to them,
but he escaped to sea on 2 October 1896. He lived in exile in Dar es
Salaam until captured by the British in 1916. He was later allowed
to live in Mombasa where he died in 1927. As a final act, Britain
demanded payment from the Zanzibar government to pay for the shells
fired on the country.