Map depicts Eurrope in 1939 during the dictators. Twentieth century Europe showed that history has not been a progression through to democracy as historians once liked to say, because a series of dictatorships rose on the continent. Most emerged in the aftermath of World War One, and one triggered a second World War. Not all were defeated, in fact half this list of the six main dictators stayed in charge until their natural deaths. Which, if you like the triumphal action view of modern history is rather depressing. The following are the major dictators of Europe’s recent history: Adolf Hiltler ( Germany), Vladimir Ilich Lenin and Joseph Stalin( Soviet Union), Josip Tito (Yugoslavia), Benito Mussolini (Italy), Francisco Franco (Spain).