Night of the Long Knives

The Night of the Long Knives was a purge carried out in Nazi Germany in June 1934, where Adolf Hitler’s regime targeted the Sturmabteilung (SA), a paramilitary group led by Ernst Röhm. Hitler viewed the SA’s rising power and Röhm’s ambitions as threats to his control and the German military’s authority. Over several days, Nazi leaders orchestrated the arrest and execution of Röhm and other potential rivals. This event solidified Hitler’s authority, eliminated internal opposition, and gained the loyalty of the German military, paving the way for the further consolidation of Nazi power.