Final answer:
Josef Stalin was the dictator of the Soviet Union during World War II. He led the country with an iron fist, transforming it into an industrial power and extending Soviet influence into Eastern Europe post-war. Stalin's rule significantly shaped the geopolitical landscape of the 20th century.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Dictator of the Soviet Union During World War II
During World War II, the totalitarian dictatorship in the Soviet Union was under the rule of Josef Stalin. Stalin took control after the incapacity and subsequent death of Vladimir Lenin. His regime was marked by drastic economic plans, which transformed the Soviet Union into an industrial superpower at a significant human cost. Stalin's leadership was characterized by the eradication of peasant farms in favor of large communal farms, the end of private land and business ownership, and a diminished role for organized religion.
Stalin's policy of socialism in one country deviated from Marx's ideal of a “dictatorship of the proletariat,” where a state without police and military conflict was envisioned. Instead, Stalin's Soviet Union expanded its influence, especially after World War II, by exerting control over Eastern European countries. On the global stage, this expansion contributed to the onset of the Cold War, where the United States and its allies saw the necessity to 'contain' the influence of the Soviet Union.
By the end of World War II, Stalin had reinforced his power significantly and enjoyed great popularity for leading the Soviet Union to victory, earning him the commendation as a military master and the honor of generalism in recognition of his role