Why was Hitlers Night of the Long Knives Important?
The Generals of the Wehrmarcht (German Army) wanted to be the sole military authority in Germany- so made veiled threats to Hitler to curb his rowdy SA- brownshirts. Hitler reacted within days. The night of the long knives killed a number of people in the middle ranks of the Wehrmarcht, but its chief aim was fear. Communists, army ‘plants’ in the SA and potential threats inside the Nazi party were also killed to cement Hitler’s power. This achieved, Hitler was able to undermine the authority of the army by converting the SA into the SS- blackshirts. The army only hesitatingly questioned Hitler’s methods after that day right until the Stauffenberg bomb.
