Night of long knives

• SA


  Paramilitary group set up by Hitler in 1921 to attack political rivals
• SA


  • Extremely loyal to Hitler, helping him get into power in 1933
  • By 1934 they had become too powerful
• Rohm


  Leader of the SA
• SA under Rohm


  • Uncontrollable, mutinous rabble
  • By summer 1934, numbers had swollen to two million men and outnumbered the German Army
• Tensions continued until June 1934


  Himmler (leader of the SS) convinced Hitler that Rohm was plotting a takeover
• Pact with the Army


  If Rohm and other SA leaders were removed, the army would swear an oath of loyalty to Hitler
• Night of the Long Knives

  Hitler ordered the SS to murder approximately 400 people, mostly SA leaders and other political opponents