Why Hitler was not opposed over the Night of the Long Knives

Why Hitler was not opposed over the Night of the Long Knives

1. Potential Oppostion

   • SA
     • Now had no leaders
     • Poorly tained
     • Not well orgainised
   • People (Popular Revolt)
     • Intimidated by this audacious act
     • Many thought of them as respectable
     • Disliked Rohm and SA
     • No other party to turn to
   • Other Politicians and Parties
     • Von Papen under house arrest
     • One party state
       • No organised legal opposition
     • Communists banned
   • Hindenburg
     • Old and Frail
     • Disliked Rohm and SA
     • Wanted stability

2. Placating others

   • Army
     • Best trained fighting force in Germany
     • Saw SA as a threat and despised them
     • No more Rohm
   • Conservatives and Elite
     • Left-wing Rohm gone
     • Rohm was not liked by the elite
     • Hitler was showing himself as a strong leader
   • Hindenburg
     • Pleased with Hitler "Nipping treason in the bud"
     • Even sent Hitler a telegram
     • Feared Communism and socialists more than a Stable government under the little Bohemian corporal
   • Other Nazis
     • Goebbels, Himmler and Goering all hated Rohm
     • Rohm disliked for his more Socialist ideals

3. Respectability & Maneuvering

   • People
     • Happy with most measures
     • Disliked SA intimidation
     • Glad to be rid of Rohm
   • Propaganda
     • Hitler shown to be righteous
     • Good riddance of Rohm
     • Taking out the disreputable members of the Nazi Party
       • More respectable people in the party
     • Rohm shown to be an embarrassment both to the Nazis and Germany
   • No more SA
     • SA resented by upper classes as thugs
     • Rid Hitler of a powerful force
       • 2 million members of the SA
       • Biggest armed force in Germany
       • Could potentially unseat Hitler if Rohm so wished
     • Intimidation in this way had failed to work in elections