Dove of Peace Ends War

O what has come to so erase
All thoughts of peace from off this place?
Have they forgot that love ‘tis right
And not, is gain by show of might?

So laments the dove of peace (voiced by writer John McLeish) in Norm McCabe’s energetic wartime short The Ducktators.



Later, we see the dove amongst the olive branches (and jars of olives) weeping over war in verse:

Mercy me! Regretful sight!
O branch of peace, forestall this fight.



The dove’s entreaties are ignored by the marching jackboots.



The dove has had his fill of peace. A fist in face he will release. That’s giving it to old Adolf!



The civilians cheer. Excellent layout (by Dave Hilberman?).



Here’s a wonderful scene where the barnyard denizens tangle with the Gestapo ducks in a mass of swirling lines. Look at the perspective animation as one patriotic civilian jumps into the fight.



The Nazis become Trashzis.



We return to the dove, sucking on his peace pipe.

I hate war, but once begun,
Well, I just didn’t choose to run.
So I can point with pride and say
‘There’s three that didn’t get away.’

And the camera pans over to Mussolini, Hitler and Tojo in animal representation.



John Carey gets the rotating animation credit for this cartoon. I imagine Vive Risto, Izzy Ellis and Cal Dalton are at work here as well. The dove’s poetry is by Mel Millar.