Who Killed The Most People In History

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Throughout history, there have been many notorious individuals who are responsible for an outrageous amount of deaths. Whether they were wartime dictators, genocidal maniacs, or serial killers, there have been numerous people who were responsible for the death of many. But who killed the most people?

Adolf Hitler is widely known as one of the most reviled men in the world and is credited with initiating the Second World War, and eventually killing an estimated 11 to 17 million people during Nazi Germany’s reign. This includes those who were killed in concentration camps, and those who were gassed in gas chambers. Moreover, the death toll resulting from his aggressive occupation of various territories and countries and the war that followed accounts for millions more.

However, more people were killed by another mass murderer: Josef Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union for more than three decades and the architect of the communist regime. He came to power in the late 1920s and was in charge during the Great Purge which decimated the Soviet Union’s population as well as during brutal political purges, industrialized famines, and deportations. The final number of people he is responsible for killing during his reign is estimated to be between 20 and 60 million.

The deadliest killing spree, however, is attributed to the Chinese ruler, Qin Shi Huang, who is known as the first emperor of a united China. His rule lasted from 221 to 210 BCE and he is credited for the creation of the Great Wall and a vast system of roads that connected the country. Large scale building projects, military expansion, and political manipulation are said to have costed the lives of millions of people, with some estimates as high as 50 million.

Undoubtedly, these and many other key figures from history have accounted for a large number of deaths – both direct and indirect – but among them it is undeniable that Josef Stalin has killed the most people in history.