Why Hitler Should Support the Army And not the SA

The SA – points in its’ favour The SA had fought loyally for Hitler against the Communists and had helped him come to power. It was led by Ernst Rohm (right), a long-time friend and supporter of Hitler… It was also powerful - by 1934 it had 2.5 million members. Ernst Rohm

However… By using the SA to control the army he was worried that… (a) He would have to go along with their other anti- capitalist policies and working class aims. (b) Rivalry between SA and SS could lead to further problems. As a result… (a) The SA were beginning to get out of hand, interfering in the running of the country and law courts. (b) Ernst Rohm was known to have referred to Hitler as a “Swine!”

Why Hitler Should Support the Army Hitler needs us to fulfil his foreign policy objectives of war and conquest! Hitler has seen how strong we are before, in 1923 we stopped the Munich Putsch. As soon Hitler became Chancellor on 3 February 1933, he went to army leaders and explained his aims: Rearming Germany And to take over Lebensraum in Eastern Europe. Even though we are smaller than the SA, the Army is still made up of about 100,000 soldiers.

Why Hitler Should Support the Army We are well trained, very organised and disciplined. We have the support of big business and conservatives. We are, however, very suspicious of Rohm and the SA. We think that he not only wants to get rid of the big businesses that supported the Army, but may even plan to overthrow Hitler!...

They may even be plotting to overthrow Hitler… Edward von KleistEdward von Kleist of the German Army “I as the army commander in Silesia was warned by the Chief of the General Staff (Ludwig Beck) that an attack by the SA on the German Army was imminent and that I should unobtrusively keep my troops on the alert. During the tense days following, I received a flood of reports and information which gave a picture of feverish preparations on the part of the SA. German Army Edward von KleistGerman Army During the night of June, Heines rang me up again. He had just learned that the Army throughout the Reich was on the alert for an SA putsch”