Warburg is an important figure in the history and study of Cold War propaganda due to his work with Orwell's widow Sonia Orwell in a collaboration with the Information Research Department (IRD), a secret propaganda wing of the British Foreign Office, which helped to increase the fame of Animal Farm "and Nineteen Eighty-Four." With Warburg's support, the IRD was able to translate "Animal Farm" into over 16 different languages, and for British embassies to disseminate the book in over 14 countries for propaganda purposes. Warburg was also involved in the sale of the movie rights to "Animal Farm" to the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). This deal resulted in the creation of the propaganda film "Animal Farm" (1954), which became the first feature-length animated film ever to be made in Britain.