 The Sinking of the Lusitania ( 1918 ) is a silent animated short film by American cartoonist Winsor McCay . It is a work of propaganda re @-@ creating the never @-@ photographed 1915 sinking of the British liner RMS Lusitania . At twelve minutes it has been called the longest work of animation at the time of its release . The film is the earliest surviving animated documentary and serious , dramatic work of animation . 
