Outpost

Outpost

Year: 1944

Runtime: 5 mins

Language: English

Director: Chuck Jones

Animation

Snafu has an object lesson on the value of complete and accurate regular reports when he discovers and reports evidence of the enemy’s presence at his assigned area.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Outpost (1944)

Trace every key event in Outpost (1944) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Outpost and sentinel

A narrator explains that the United States maintains far-flung military outposts with diligent sentinels. The film introduces a tiny Pacific island outpost where Private Snafu rests under a single palm tree, accompanied only by a local bird. The sense of boredom and isolation sets the stage for his later actions.

Tiny Pacific island outpost
2

Snafu's stagnation and denial

Snafu laments 249 days on the island without combat and complains about the lack of action. The bird remains his sole companion as he mutters about his boredom. A radio message announces that his 249th transfer request has been denied.

Isolated outpost, Pacific island
3

Dreams of girls

Snafu and the bird fall asleep and dream about girls, a welcome distraction from duty. Their dreams become tangled and chaotic, and Snafu wakes irate, threatening the bird for insubordination. The moment underscores the fragility of their routine existence.

4

Floating can of food

The bird locates a floating can of food and eagerly approaches it, hoping for a meal. He discovers the label reads Pickled Fish Eyes with Rice and nearly discards the can before noticing the bottom text revealing it is Hon. K Ration Imperial Japanese Navy. The discovery introduces a provocative twist linking food, war, and enemy intelligence.

On the beach
5

Snafu buries the can

Snafu dismisses the find and orders the bird to bury the can, treating it as mere trash. The Japanese Navy label complicates the object, yet he remains unfazed and continues with his routine. The scene foreshadows how ordinary details can reveal military intelligence.

Beach at the outpost
6

Tracking the Japanese fleet

Back at the command level, the U.S. military tracks a Japanese task force using reference points until observation posts lose track. The officers then call all posts to provide a full report of the situation. The tension between routine monitoring and unexpected findings drives the plot.

Observation posts network
7

The tin-can entry caught

Snafu repeats the day’s mundane log entries aloud, and his superior radios him to recite the tin-can detail again and confirm its description. The exchange shows how a trivial find can trigger a critical military response. The moment highlights the disconnect between Snafu’s laziness and the importance of accurate reporting.

Outpost communications room
8

Bird retrieves the buried clue

The bird digs up the buried can, and Snafu reports its contents, including the Japanese information. The exchange turns a mundane discovery into a piece of intelligence that informs the enemy’s fate. The scene blends humor with the underlying stakes of information accuracy.

Beach/Burial site
9

Destruction of the fleet

American bombers arrive and bomb the Japanese fleet into oblivion. The raid demonstrates the power of air superiority and the rapid transformation of the battlefield. Snafu remains oblivious to the fleet’s annihilation, continuing his everyday routine.

Over the Pacific
10

End of day and lingering boredom

The day ends with Snafu and the bird on the tiny beach, and he again remarks his boredom about the army’s duties. He tosses the can of pickled fish eyes with rice into the ocean, signaling a bitter resignation to his monotonous posting. The closing image underscores the gap between war’s enormity and his petty grievance.

Beach on the island

Last Updated: October 07, 2025 at 09:20

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Outpost Summary

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Outpost Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Outpost

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