In the late 20th and 21st century, Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein had their faces on their national currencies while they were still alive and in power. Kim Il Sung may be the most extreme example as the North Korean Constitution still considers him the "Great Leader" 10 years after his death. Mao Zedong still enjoys a revered status in mainland China although it has been toned down considerably following reforms. In Europe there was Stalin and Hitler, but no leader after that regained similar status in their countries.
Why were so many men able to make the citizens think they were like gods when it never happened in most Western countries? Is it because we are more educated and less prone to brainwashing?
No expert, but I want to say it's due to the regimes you mentioned, control over the media. Gaddafi, Mao, Sung, and Saddam had a tight grasp over mass media and allowed them to spread propaganda as freely as they please. When you have absolute control over the country, it's easier to erect statues and hoist flags and banners displaying your face without repercussion. Also, if I'm not mistaken, the leaders you mentioned all became rulers/dictators after a revolution. During those times, they claimed to be men of the people, fighting for the working class, and it allowed them to be revered by their citizens. Correct me if I'm wrong too, I believe most of those countries were in poverty driven economies, and each of those leaders help somewhat modernize each country. Most western countries have free press and elections, allowing all forms of political and social ideology to reign free through the media and forming a variety of different opinions on leaders.