15. Pol Pot
Pol Pot, leader of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, launched one of the most brutal regimes of the 20th century. His military purges and forced relocations led to mass executions, starvation, and the deaths of up to two million Cambodians. Pol Pot’s systematic campaigns of terror epitomized state-directed ruthlessness, erasing entire communities and cultural heritage in the pursuit of his radical vision. The devastation wrought under his command remains a haunting testament to unchecked power.
