Why did Hitler attack the SA in the Night of Long knives?

Answer 1

Hitler moved against the Sturmabteilung (SA), the paramilitary Brownshirts, and its leader, Ernst Röhm, because he saw the independence of the SA and the penchant of its members for street violence as a direct threat to his power. He also wanted to conciliate leaders of the Reichswehr, the official German military who both feared and despised the SA-in particular Röhm's ambition to absorb the Reichswehr into the SA under his own leadership. Finally, Hitler used the purge to attack or eliminate critics of his regime, especially those loyal to Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen, and to settle scores with old enemies.

Answer 2

That is a great question! The SA were the storm troopers that were street fighters and were used to beat up the Communists agitators and Socialists! By 1934, they had become a major rival to the regular army which Hitler needed their loyalty and support for his future plans. Hitler had worked out in secrecy with the military leadership, including Von Hindenburg, that he would take direct action against the leadership of the SA. He personnally, along with men from the SS, drove to Bavaria where Ernst Roem, the leader of the SA was staying-along with other SA officers at a resort hotel near Munich. Hitler confronted Roehm, who was in bed with another man, and was told to get dressed and that he was accussed of being a traitor. Roehm had always been suspect of being a homosexual which Hitler tolerated because of Roehm's longstanding friendship and loyalty stemming all the way back to the beer hall putsch in 1923! He was shot along with others that same day as well as other around Germany-over 5000 were executed! The SA remained intact but was never given a high profile ever again. In return, the military was rewarded buy seeing a huge increase in armaments and a compulsory draft. Hitler thought that the SA was a threat to his authority and there was a justified fear that Ernst Roehm was considering overthrowing Hitler or at least replace the army with his SA. That possiblity, Hitler could never tolerate and he didn't!