Thursday, June 4, 2020

How Quick Were the Brownshirts Disposed After the September 1930 Election?

It is an interesting discussion.

Going throuth the 1920s....the Brownshirts were a big element of success for the Nazi Party.  They led marches through towns and communities.  They intimidated the general public.  They were thugs on parade.

But then comes the 14 September 1930 election.  The Nazi Party is no longer bonded into a secondary group....they are on their own, and get near 18-percent of the vote.  A lot of this success?  It goes to the Brownshirts.

So we go through the July and November elections of 1932....each bringing Hitler nearer to complete authority.  March and November elections in 1933?  Same story.

At the end of 1933, the Brownshirts are figured to have near 3-million members across Germany.  Their plan (not Hitlers) is to merge the German Army in with them, and the Brownshirts would be this new model of militarism.  In essence, they'd manage the military system. 

Military officers at that point?  Very frustrated at the idea of professional military organizations being dragged into some combination 'pit' of Brownshirts.  On top of that, several big players of the Nazi movement are now worried about the leadership of the Brownshirts....fearing they might oust Hitler. 

So in the spring of 1934....a lot of secretive chatter starts up....to end the Brownshirts.  Around the last week of June (1934), the decision is made.  The 'Night of the Longknives' will occur.  The vast leadership group of the Brownshirts will be ended. 

Today, it's figured that roughly 200 Brownshirt 'bosses' were executed around 30 June 1934.  A lot of Brownshirts were shocked at the action taken, and the movement basically died off  in the weeks and months after this day. 

If the Brownshirts had figured out their threat?  There's no doubt that they would have taken action, and likely terminated Hitler.  But at no point did they gather intelligence or figure out the actions coming at them.  Their leadership was walking step-in-step with Hitler....with glory days ahead. 

This period of demise?  You can start on 14 September 1930, and say from that day to 30 June 1934....they were heading toward an end-point.  All in four years.

This is the thing about thugs in support of a political agenda....you will reach a point of success, and then reach a point where your help isn't appreciated anymore.  Then you get disposed of, and you just stand there wondering....what went wrong. 

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