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QINGDAO TODAY
在线翻译:
szdaily -> Speak Shenzhen -> 
The Anglo-Zanzibar War
    2019-04-08  08:53    Shenzhen Daily

James Baquet

Wars are often noted for their duration. The Anglo-French “100 Years’ War” pales in comparison to such conflicts as the ancient Persian-Roman Wars (721 years) or the Christian vs. Muslim Iberian Religious Wars (781 years).

Some conflicts, though, are famous not for their length, but for their brevity. The shortest known war was the grandiose-sounding “Anglo-Zanzibar War,” fought between the United Kingdom and the Sultanate of Zanzibar off the coast of East Africa on Aug. 27, 1896. Estimates vary, but this “war” lasted between 38 and 45 minutes — shorter than a good card game.

Here’s what happened: Sultan Hamad bin Thuwaini, who had supported British policies in the region, passed away Aug. 25. The British wanted Hamud bin Muhammed to succeed him, but instead, Khalid bin Barghash — cousin to the dead sultan, and son of Zanzibar’s second sultan — seized the throne and succeeded Hamad bin Thuwaini.

In 1886, a treaty had been signed giving Britain the right to prevent anyone from becoming sultan without permission from the British consul. As Khalid had not fulfilled this requirement, the British issued an ultimatum: Khalid must relinquish the throne and order his army to stand down and vacate the palace. Instead, Khalid refused to abdicate, and barricaded himself inside with his troops.

By Aug. 27, the British had mustered three cruisers, two gunboats, 150 marines and sailors, and 900 Zanzibaris in the area near the harbor. Khalid had about 2,800 Zanzibaris inside the palace, with several artillery pieces aimed at the British fleet. At 9 a.m., the ultimatum expired, and at 9:02 the British opened a bombardment. The Zanzibari artillery was destroyed, and the palace engulfed in flames. The British also sank three small Zanzibari vessels, including the royal yacht. The palace flag was shot down and a cease-fire declared at 9:40.

Roughly 500 of the sultan’s forces sustained casualties; one British sailor was injured. The short-term sultan took asylum in the German consulate and then went on to German East Africa, and the British installed Hamud as the head of a puppet government.

Vocabulary:

Which word above means:

1. leave, clear out of

2. assembled for battle

3. exaggeratedly important, pompous

4. turn over, give up

5. shortness

6. one whose actions are controlled by others

7. closed in for defensive purposes

8. swallowed up

9. give up one’s throne

10. grabbed, took illegally

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