Who was the totalitarian leader of Nazi Germany during World War II?

Adolf Hitler was the totalitarian leader of Nazi Germany during World War II, leading a regime characterized by extreme nationalism, militarism, and the suppression of dissent. Under his rule, which began in 1933, the Nazi Party implemented a totalitarian state that sought to control all aspects of life, from politics and media to education and culture. Hitler's government pursued aggressive expansionist policies, leading to the outbreak of World War II in 1939 when Germany invaded Poland.

His leadership was marked by a commitment to the ideologies of fascism, including the idea of racial superiority, which resulted in the horrifying events of the Holocaust and the persecution of various groups deemed undesirable. The centralization of power in Hitler's hands eliminated political pluralism, driving Germany into a war that would claim millions of lives and reshape global politics. Understanding this context is crucial to recognizing why he is historically viewed as a quintessential example of a totalitarian leader.