Animation can be used for a myriad of purposes, be it to convey a clandestine message through vivid or not-so-vivid imagery, to present a concept of philosophy or such, or to just amaze the audience with a whimsical feat of visualizations. Through the ages, people have created animations with all kinds of purposes, all of which were differentiating as the years passed by: from descriptive, to political, to philosophical, to entertaining, etc. Thus, we can pull a distinctive line between the historical and contemporary use of animations throughout the ages, and what better way is there to prove a contrasting point than with examples. For example, "The Ducktators" is a black and white cartoon animation produced by Leon Schlesinger Productions and released by Warner Bros. in 1942, which was created to be perceived through the perspective of WWII. The animation is a satirical allegory against the Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, or the Nazi Party of Germany's regime which waged the Second World War by implementing the concept of fascism. In other words, the animation promotes propaganda by implying buying war bonds (such an example would be the poster from which the human soldier detaches). Moreover, the animation's true purpose can only be digested through an understanding of historical context (as a purely contemporary one will not do), for without it the reference to Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, and the infamous motivational phrase of the Nazi Party "Sieg Heil" would not be comprehended as intended. By using abundant metaphors, the animation ridicules the three main "geese" and their ideologies (one such example would be Tojo Duck getting attacked by a turtle with his own sign of the Japanese Mandate). Conclusively, "The Ducktators" is a cartoon based on historical practice, where animations were used as subtle communication tools which delivered messages to the audience in a whimsical and educational manner. The power of animation knows no bounds!
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