The Generalplan Ost (German pronunciation: [ɡenəˈʁaːlˌplaːn ˈɔst]; English: General Plan East), abbreviated GPO, was the Nazi German government's plan for the colonization of Central and Eastern Europe. Implementation of the plan necessitated genocide and ethnic cleansing on a vast scale to be undertaken in territories occupied by Germany during World War II. Some of the plan was partially implemented during the war, resulting indirectly and directly in a very large number of deaths, but full implementation was not considered practicable during the ongoing war effort and was prevented by Germany's defeat.