The use of force

• The SA (Sturmabteilung) were former specialized assault troops from World War One
• The SA pre-existed the Nazi Party and were cut from the military after World War One due to the Treaty of Versailles
• Despite being cut from the military, the SA continued to exist and became members of the Freikorps or their own individualized groupings, all tying into the larger group of the SA
• Many SA members spread out into political groups, including the SDP, the German Workers Party, and eventually the Nazi Party
• Large numbers of SA members joined the Nazi Party in 1920 after hearing speeches by Hitler and other Nazi members
• SA members were both members and bodyguards of the Nazis, using force to protect and promote the Nazi message
• SA members would use force, including physical violence, to silence and intimidate those who opposed the Nazi message
• The SA, led by Ernst Röhm, were known for their brutality and were instrumental in the growth of the Nazi Party
• The Beer Hall Putsch took place in November 1923 during the economic struggles of the Weimar Republic
• The Beer Hall Putsch was an attempt by Hitler and other Nazi members to overthrow the government inspired by Mussolini's rise to power in Italy
• The Beer Hall Putsch involved armed shootouts, deaths, assaults, and occupation of military buildings by the SA and other militant groups
• Hitler and other Nazi leaders were arrested and put on trial after the failed Beer Hall Putsch
• Hitler used his trial as a form of propaganda to motivate and encourage support for the Nazi Party
• The Beer Hall Putsch resulted in Hitler being sentenced to five years imprisonment, which was later shortened to six months
• The SA was made illegal as an organization after the Beer Hall Putsch
• Despite the failure of the Beer Hall Putsch, it demonstrated the willingness of Hitler and the SA to use force to achieve their goals and showed the world the potential danger of the Nazi Party