What was the Night of the Long Knives?

What was the Night of the Long Knives?

The Night of the Long Knives, also known as Operation Hummingbird, was a purge that took place in Germany from June 30 to July 2, 1934. It was a series of political executions carried out by Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, targeting members of the Sturmabteilung (SA), also known as the Brownshirts. Hitler saw the SA as a potential threat to his power and used the event to consolidate his control over the Nazi Party and eliminate any opposition. During this operation, around 85 people were killed, including SA leaders Ernst Röhm and Gregor Strasser. The Night of the Long Knives marked a significant turning point in Hitler's rise to power and solidified his dictatorship in Germany.