6 of the Quickest Conflicts in History

No one desires war, especially when it drags on long enough to earn the title The Hundred Years’ War. (That refers to the conflict between France and England that began in the 14th century, stretched into the 15th century, and actually lasted 116 years.) But when fighting is unavoidable, it's better to end it swiftly. Here's a look at six battles that concluded in record time.

1. The Anglo-Zanzibar War // 38 to 45 Minutes

In 1896, Zanzibar faced an assault from the British Empire, eager to bring the archipelago entirely under British control. The sudden urgency arose from the death of the relatively agreeable Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini (some believed he had been poisoned), followed by the self-proclamation of the more ruthless Sayyid Khalid bin Barghash Al-Busaid as ruler—despite the British being meant to be consulted in such matters.

When Sultan Khalid refused to submit, the British launched their offensive. It was an easy task: Zanzibar was coastal, so the British just sent boats to bombard their defenseless enemy. The entire “battle”—which caused around 500 casualties on Zanzibar's side—took between 38 and 45 minutes to conclude, making it the shortest war on record. (The exact duration may never be known: one of the first things the British destroyed was a clock tower.)

2. The Invasion of Anjouan // 1 Day

In 2008, soldiers from Comoros, an island chain in the Indian Ocean, seized control of Anjouan in less than a day—an action characterized by one observer as “picking on” a weaker opponent. With backing from the African Union (a 55-member assembly of states across Africa), Comoros forced the illegally elected Mohamed Bacar to flee the island, home to about 300,000 people. Some critics claimed the African Union was aiming to enhance its global reputation through this one-sided conflict, which saw no casualties reported.

3. The 100 Hour War // 100 Hours

This 1969 conflict between El Salvador and Honduras erupted from a football (soccer) rivalry—giving it the nickname, “the football war.” Teams from both Central American nations competed in a series, with El Salvador narrowly winning 3-2. Simultaneously, the two countries were in a dispute over El Salvadoran citizens moving to Honduras to take advantage of its larger farmland, which led to Honduras forcing the migrants back. This provoked El Salvador to attempt an invasion of Honduras. Around 3000 people were killed before international intervention helped ease tensions, and El Salvador reluctantly withdrew its forces. The war lasted about four days, and is still often seen as the result of a sports rivalry. While the rivalry intensified the situation, it didn’t cause it.

4. The Russo-Georgian War // 5 Days

Long before Russia's invasion of Ukraine, it initiated hostilities with Georgia, concentrating on the regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, which had sought independence from Georgia around the time of the Soviet Union's collapse. After rising tensions, in April 2008, Georgia accused Russia of shooting down an unmanned drone over Abkhazia. (The United Nations later confirmed that a Russian plane was responsible.) Russia then deployed a large number of troops, some ostensibly to repair a railway. Tensions escalated and in August, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili sent troops to South Ossetia, which was supported by Russian-backed forces. Russia responded with airstrikes. On the ground, Russian forces advanced within 30 miles of Georgia's capital, Tbilisi.

In about a week, the two sides reached a ceasefire agreement, though not without losses: Georgia suffered nearly 400 deaths, South Ossetia lost 365, and Russian forces saw just 67 fatalities; hundreds more were wounded on all sides. Georgia claimed Russia was still occupying land despite the ceasefire, while Russia recognized the provinces as independent. Both South Ossetia and Abkhazia are now regarded as breakaway territories by most countries, with checkpoints and barbed wire separating them from the rest of Georgia.

5. The 6-Day War // 6 Days

Although short conflicts usually limit casualties, the 1967 war between Israel and the combined forces of Egypt, Syria, and Jordan was an exception. Israel and the Arab states had clashed before, making border tensions in the 1960s more volatile; the dispute escalated to air battles with Syrian forces. After a (mistaken) report that Israel was preparing to invade Syria, Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser deployed troops to attack Israel. The Israel Defense Forces responded by destroying Egyptian aircraft on the ground, and then struck Jordan, Syria, and Iraq as well. Despite Egypt's continued foot soldier engagement, it was ineffective. When the United Nations mediated a ceasefire within the week, over 20,000 Arab soldiers and civilians had been killed. Meanwhile, Israel expanded its territory by three times the original size.

6. The Turkish-Cypriot War // 1 Month, 1 Day

The Mediterranean island of Cyprus had long been caught between the influences of Greece and Turkey. After a rebellion against British rule, which had lasted since the 19th century, one faction sought Turkish control while another believed the island could be split between Turkey and Greece. In 1960, Cyprus declared its independence, but the tensions didn't subside; both sides felt the other was undermining them.

In 1974, Cyprus faced the most pivotal month in its history: A Greek military junta ousted Archbishop Makarios, and Turkish sympathizers interpreted this as a sign of an impending union with Greece. In response, Turkey invaded the island, forcing Greek citizens to relocate. Though the conflict ended relatively quickly, it led to a divided government that persists to this day.