The Night of the Long Knives, one of the most notable events during Hitler's rule, was a purge that occurred on June 30, 1934. Hitler ordered the murder of prominent anti-Nazi conservatives such as Kurt Von Schleicher and Gustav Ritter von Kahr, left-wing Nazis such as Gregor Strasser and many members of the SA, including its leader Ernst Rohm. It could be argued that the assassinations were significant in that they ended a possible SA seizure of power, discouraged and intimidated conservative critics while gaining their support, saw the rise of the SS, introduced terror and dictatorship into traditional life and reassured the elites and the army. It could be argued that the importance of the Night of the Long Knives was to prevent a possible takeover by the SA. Ernst Rohm was not satisfied with what he saw as half a revolution. “We will not tolerate the German Revolution falling asleep or being betrayed halfway.” This article by Ernst Rohm from June 1933 is a strong indication of a possible further revolution by the SA. This point is also supported by a speech by Adolf Hitler in which he says: "I will deal with the so-called second revolution." However, it is possible that Rohm was not preparing such a revolution. In a speech on July 13, 1934, Hitler says: "Only a ruthless and bloody intervention could perhaps still suffocate the expansion of the revolt." Hitler's assumptions in this Reichstag speech after the murders may have been fabricated to justify the murders. One consequence of the Night of the Long Knives may be that it was an introduction of terror and dictatorship into traditional German life. The massacre appeared to further consolidate Hitler's control over Germany. Hitler's speech to the Reich governors first... middle of paper... The consolidation of Hitler's power as Reich Fuhrer and enabled Hitler's totalitarian control of Germany. Bibliography Primary sources J Hite and C Hinton, 'Weimar and Nazi Germany 2000' Manchester Guardian Report, 13 April 1933 Speech by Franz Von Papen at the University of Marburg, 17 June 1934 Speech by Rohm to the foreign press 18 April 1934 Field von Weich's account of the speech by Hitler to the SA leaders and most of the senior generals of the Reichswehr 28 February 1934 Hitler's speech to the Reichstag 13 July 1934 Hitler's speech to the Reich governors 6 July 1933 Newspaper article by Rohm, June 1933 Secondary sources A Bullock, 'Hitler: A Study in Tyranny', 1952R J Evans, 'The Third Reich in Power', 2005J Wheeler Bennett, 'The Nemesis of Power' . The German Army and Politics 1918-1945', 1961W Shirer, 'The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich’, 1959