How did totalitarian government controlled people's thoughts?

Answer 1

Nobody can actually control what a person thinks other than that particular person, but the governments and secret police in totalitarian states do as much as they can to influence people's thought patterns and control their access to information.

Answer 2

I will use Hitler as an example. Germany was in an economic downturn. Hitler was a magnificent speaker who offered a reason for this occurring; he blamed the Jews. No one wants to hear that the problem with their country are their own so the German accepted this as an answer. Totalitarian leaders take over a little at a time, so they can earn the trust of the people and before you know it, you are believing that genocide is the only answer to heal your country's problems.