The terms Polonophobia, anti-Polonism, antipolonism and anti-Polish sentiment refer to a spectrum of hostile attitudes toward Polish people and culture. These terms apply to racism against Poles and people of Polish descent, including ethnicity-based discrimination and state-sponsored mistreatment of ethnic Poles and Polish citizens. This prejudice led to mass killings and genocide or to justify atrocities during World War II, notably by the German Nazis, Ukrainian nationalists and Soviet forces.