History YMMV / PeaceOnEarth

* HarsherInHindsight: The film is set in a world where mankind went extinct due to war with animals rebuilding society from the ashes left by humanity. Within ten years of the short's release, the UsefulNotes/ColdWar would be underway and nuclear weapons came into being, and the idea that [[WorldWarIII the next major global conflict]] could, at the very least, destroy modern civilization became a serious possibility, even becoming a reccuring topic in works like Film/Threads.

* HarsherInHindsight:
** The film is set in a world where mankind went extinct due to war with animals rebuilding society from the ashes left by humanity. Within ten years of the short's release, the UsefulNotes/ColdWar would be underway and nuclear weapons came into being, and the idea that [[WorldWarIII the next major global conflict]] could, at the very least, destroy modern civilization became a serious possibility.
** Also, despite having an anti-war message, this movie was made just before [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII one of the deadliest wars in history]] ended up happening.

* HilariousInHindsight: The fact about humans being replaced by other species, after the former having gone extinct, has become a reccuring topic in the SpeculativeEvolution genre.

* HarsherInHindsight: The film is set in a world where mankind went extinct due to war with animals rebuilding society from the ashes left by humanity. Within ten years of the short's release, the UsefulNotes/ColdWar would be underway and nuclear weapons came into being, and the idea that [[WorldWarIII the next major global conflict]] could, at the very least, destroy modern civilization became a serious possibility.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: While the short wants to you to believe humanity caused its own extinction through war, it's more likely that the ruined village the animals discover was evacuated when World War I broke out, destroyed during combat and abandoned afterwards once a ceasefire had been reached and the residents had returned to find it destroyed and the animals just assumed humanity went the way of the dodo since no one, to their knowledge, ever returned. Since the story is being told through the persective of a character, the part about the last two soldiers could also just be an embellishment. There are also historical basis for abandoned towns and buildings being reclaimed by nature, such as No-Man's-Land, Detroit's Packard plant, and Chernobyl.

* AlternativeCharacterInterpretation: While the short wants to you to believe humanity caused it's own extinction through war, it is more likely that the ruined village the animals discover was evacuated when World War I broke out, destroyed during combat and abandoned afterwards once a ceasefire had been reached and the residents had returned to find it destroyed and the animals just assumed humanity went the way of the dodo since no one, to their knowledge, ever returned. Since the story is being told through the persective of a character, the part about the last two soldiers could also just be an embellishment. There are also historical basis' for abandoned towns and buildings being reclaimed by nature, such as No-Man's-Land, Detroit's Packard plant, and Chernobyl.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsNotPolitical: This is a story of cutesy and sentient animals…who watched as mankind wiped itself over petty reasons and vowed never to repeat the same mistakes.

* TearJerker: The scene of the last two men is just depressing. They have absolutely nothing to fight for at this point, and it seems the only reason they carry on is because they have nothing left to live for as they know that they are the only remaining humans left.

* WhatDoYouMeanItsPolitical: This is a story of cutesy and sentient animals…who watched as mankind wiped itself over petty reasons and vowed never to repeat the same mistakes.

* This is a story of cutesy and sentient animals…who watched as mankind wiped itself over petty reasons and vowed never to repeat the same mistakes.

* ValuesDissonance: When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war, specifically 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of their true natures was revealed. Most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis[[ExactWords conveniently playing fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear. While there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, either the reports were {{ignored|Expert}} or Allied intelligence was not in a position to do anything about them. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, America eventually joining the fight against Hitler in late 1941 (although its entry into the war was because of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor) is generally viewed as a good thing.

* ValuesDissonance: When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war, specifically 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of their true natures was revealed. Most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis conveniently [[ExactWords conveniently playing fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear. While there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, either the reports were {{ignored|Expert}} or Allied intelligence was not in a position to do anything about them. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, America eventually joining the fight against Hitler in late 1941 (although its entry into the war was because of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor) is generally viewed as a good thing.

* ValuesDissonance: When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war, specifically 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of their true natures was revealed. Most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis conveniently downplaying [[ExactWords themselves played fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear. While there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, either the reports were {{ignored|Expert}} or Allied intelligence was not in a position to do anything about them. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, America eventually joining the fight against Hitler in late 1941 (although its entry into the war was because of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor) is generally viewed as a good thing.

* ValuesDissonance: When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war, specifically 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of their true natures was revealed. Most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis conveniently downplaying [[ExactWords themselves played fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear. While there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, either the reports were {{ignored|Expert}} or Allied intelligence was not in a position to do anything about them. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, America eventually joining the fight against Hitler in late 1941 (although it was because of the Japanese bombing Pearl Harbor) is generally viewed as a good thing.

* ValuesDissonance: When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war, specifically 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of their true natures was revealed. Most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis conveniently downplaying the fact that [[ExactWords they played fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear. While there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, either the reports were {{ignored|Expert}} or Allied intelligence was not in a position to do anything about them. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, the fact that America eventually joined the fight against Hitler (in late 1941) is generally viewed as a Good Thing.

* AwardSnub: This short lost an Academy Award to the ''WesternAnimation/SillySymphonies'' short "The Ugly Duckling". Thankfully, it got better awards later on, like being number 40 on Jerry Beck's list of the 50 Greatest Cartoons.

** The last man. After he's been shot, you have the joy of watching him slowly sink into the water, his hand slowly reaching out.

* ValuesResonance: Despite the complicated and UnfortunateImplications involved regarding World War II, the cartoon's anti-war message was still relevant enough in the 1950s to warrant a UsefulNotes/ColdWar [[WesternAnimation/GoodWillToMen remake]] calling for nuclear disarmament.

* Tear Jerker: The scene of the last two men is just depressing. They have absolutely nothing to fight for at this point, and it seems the only reason they carry on is because they have nothing left to live for as they know that they are the only remaining humans left.

* ValuesResonance: Despite the complicated and UnfortunateImplications involved regarding World War II, the cartoon's anti-war message was still relevant enough in the 1950s to warrant a UsefulNotes/ColdWar remake calling for nuclear disarmament.

* ValuesDissonance: When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of these "work camps'" true natures was revealed; most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis conveniently downplaying the fact that [[ExactWords they played fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear; while there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, the reports were either [[IgnoredExpert ignored]] or Allied intelligence was not in a position to be able to do anything about it. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, the fact that America eventually joined the fight against Hitler (in late 1941) is generally viewed as a Good Thing.

* ValuesResonance: The cartoon's anti-war message was still relevant enough in the 1950s to warrant a UsefulNotes/ColdWar remake calling for nuclear disarmament.

* ValuesDissonance:
** When this cartoon was released in December of 1939, much of the world was [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII already at war]], and Hitler's persecution of Jews in the Nazi-controlled portions of Europe was [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust swiftly moving towards full-on genocide]] (Kristallnacht having taken place in 1938[[labelnote:however...]]While the Nazis' antisemitism and and dogma was well-documented in the years leading up to the war, it wasn't until ''late'' in the war 1944-1945, when Western Allied forces began to liberate German "work camps" that widespread evidence of these "work camps'" true natures was revealed; most people who asked were told that only criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane were sent there, with the Nazis conveniently downplaying the fact that [[ExactWords they played fast and loose]] with who was considered "criminals, sexual deviants, and the violently insane", and anyone who tried to ask further questions tended to get a "visit" from the Gestapo and subsequently disappear; while there were reports throughout the war from escaped survivors and the Resistance, the reports were either [[IgnoredExpert ignored]] or Allied intelligence was not in a position to be able to do anything about it. Suffice to say, it was very unlikely that anyone involved in the making of the short had any idea of what was going on in Europe.[[/labelnote]]). The United States was still neutral, and in retrospect the cartoon can be seen as a call for continued neutrality, a call for America to stay out of Europe's war. Today, the fact that America eventually joined the fight against Hitler (in late 1941) is generally viewed as a Good Thing.
** In addition, the silly reasons for war given in the cartoon -- bucktoothed people vs. flat-footed people, vegetarians vs. meat-eaters -- don't resonate very well when applied to a war against an actual expansionist, genocidal dictatorship...