The Night of the Long Knives

The SA were a group of German militia called the “Storm Troopers”, who were formed in 1921 by Adolf Hitler. By 1930, Hitler wanted to try to obtain power through normal elections using his new phrase; "evolution, not revolution". The behavior of the SA was now an embarrassment. To keep the SA in line, Hitler appointed his old friend and fellow Nazi, Ernst Rohm as leader in January 1931. The SS (also known as the “body guard”) were a small and elite bodyguard for Hitler. The SS numbered 52,000 men c...