The Importance Of The Night Of Long Knives

Question 1

What was the night of the long knives ?

Answer 1

Purging of Hitlers political and military rivals in the SA

Question 2

What were some causes of the night of the long knives ?

Answer 2

• one reason for the removal of leaders of the SA was the need to win support of the army
• first months of his Chancellorship Hitler had seen the SA as a major threat

Question 3

What had the SA done, who were the SA and what did they hope for ?

Answer 3

• played a key part in the growth of the Nazi party
• well known across Germany
• most of SA were working class men who favored the Nazi program
• hoped Hitler would introduce reforms to help the works

Question 4

During the first month of 1933 what had the SA done ?

Answer 4

Helped to create an atmosphere of terror and intimidation when Gleichschaltung was introduced

Question 5

Who, apart from Hitler, looked to control the SA and why ?

Answer 5

Wilhelm Frick and Herman Goering
- feared the SA’s activities may cause backlash against Hitler and began to seek ways of controlling them

Question 6

What was Goering conceded about ?

Answer 6

• he worried the army might step in

Question 7

Why were there tension between the leader of the SA and Hitler ?

Answer 7

• Ernst Röhm( SA leader) wanted to incorporate the army into the SA
• he was disappointed with Hitlers close relationship with industrialists and the army leaders

Question 8

What did Röhm want to do ?

Answer 8

More government interference in the running of the country in order to help the ordinary citizen
He wanted to move away from Germanys class structure and bring greater equality, effectively a social revolution.

Question 9

Why was there added tension between Hitler and the SA due to other people ?

Answer 9

Hitlers personal bodyguards the SS, led by Heinrich Himler, wanted to break from the SA
Further to this Goering ( head of Gestapo) wanted to lead the armed forces and saw an opponent in Röhm