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The SA was a group consisting largely of ex-soldiers, ''Freikorps'' (Free Corps) members, and common thugs who believed in the Nazi cause, i.e. [[socialist]] [[revolution]] and [[class warfare]] against the [[bourgeois]] [[capitalist]] commercial interests perceived to be dominated by [[Jew]]s; they would march in Nazi rallies, assault political opponents and Jewish shops, and intimidate voters during elections. While soldiers and workers endured many hardships during the war, in the immediate aftermath commercial interests and tradesmen were perceived to have [[profit]]ed from the collapse of the [[Imperial German regime]] and had not made the same sacrifices during the war as did the workers and soldiers.   

The SA was a group consisting largely of ex-soldiers, ''Freikorps'' (Free Corps) members, and common thugs who believed in the Nazi cause, i.e. [[socialist]] [[revolution]] and [[class warfare]] against the [[bourgeois]] [[capitalist]] commercial interests perceived to be dominated by [[Jew]]s; they would march in Nazi rallies, assault political opponents and Jewish shops, and intimidate voters during elections. While soldiers and workers endured many hardships during the war, in the immediate aftermath commercial interests and tradesmen were perceived to have [[profit]]ed from the collapse of the [[Imperial German regime]] and had not made the same sacrifices during the war as did the workers and soldiers.   

One particular political party that the SA frequently assaulted was the [[Moscow]]-controlled German Communist Party, which contrary to contemporary telling of history had nothing to do with the latter party adhering to Socialism, but instead dealt with the latter party affiliation with [[Communist International]] instead of Germany. One inspiration for the SA brownshirts, in their use of terror to force their views on the masses came from the American [[Democratic party]]-run terror organization, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] during the post-Civil War period.  Hitler used the SA unsuccessfully during the failed [[Beer Hall Putsch]] in Munich, 1923, which resulted in a temporary disarray.

One particular political party that the SA frequently assaulted was the [[Moscow]]-controlled German Communist Party, which contrary to contemporary telling of history had nothing to do with the latter party adhering to Socialism, but instead dealt with the latter party affiliation with [[Communist International]] instead of Germany. One inspiration for the SA brownshirts, in their use of terror to force their views on the masses came from the American [[Democratic Party|Democrat Party]]-run terror organization, the [[Ku Klux Klan]] during the post-Civil War period.  Hitler used the SA unsuccessfully during the failed [[Beer Hall Putsch]] in Munich, 1923, which resulted in a temporary disarray.

The SA reorganized by 1925. In particular, they gained the uniforms that led to their moniker of "brownshirts", and Hitler had created a small separate unit called the [[SS]] within the party that would act as his personal bodyguard.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/new.htm</ref> Ironically, however, the reorganized SA ended up nearly causing the Nazi Party to be disbanded again for between 1926 and 1927, after they beat up an old pastor for heckling them.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/quiet.htm</ref> After their victory on September 14, 1930, and then formally taking 107 seats in the Reichstag, the SA, while wearing civilian clothing, proceeded to celebrate by smashing the windows of various Jewish owned shops, department stores, and restaurants, an action that would eventually be repeated on a larger scale in "[[Kristallnacht]]", several years later. However, the SA desire to become a revolutionary army, and frequently conducting attacks despite Hitler's insistence that they lay low, often embarrassed him, which ultimately resulted to a minor coup at the Berlin Nazi Party offices led by SA Captain Walter Stennes being put down by the SS on Hitler's orders.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/success.htm</ref> In 1931, they were led by a radical who had grandiose dreams of his own: [[Ernst Röhm]], who had been nominated to replace Stennes for command of the SA.  An anti-capitalist who believed in a permanent, continuing revolution<ref>Shirer, William L. ''Rise and Fall of the Third Reich''. "The Nazification of Germany: 1933-34; 'No Second Revolution'"<br />''"A tremendous victory has been won. But not an absolute victory! The SA and the SS will not tolerate the German revolution going to sleep and being betrayed at the half-way stage by non-combatants. Not for the sake of the SA and SS but for Germany's sake. For the SA is the last armed force of the nation, the last defense against communism. If the German revolution is wrecked by the reactionary opposition, incompetence, or laziness, the German people will fall into despair and will be an easy prey for the bloodstained frenzy coming from the depths of Asia. If these bourgeois simpletons think that the national revolution has already lasted too long, for once we agree with them. It is in fact high time the national revolution stopped and became the National Socialist one. Whether they like it or not, we will continue our struggle - if they understand at last what it is about - with them; if they are unwilling - without them; and if necessary - against them."''[http://spartacus-educational.com/GERroehm.htm]</ref> (in a manner similar to what [[Leon Trotsky]] advocated), Röhm would use the SA to propel Hitler to the chancellery as well as increase the size of the organization to such an extent that it would threaten to replace the much smaller 100,000 man army as Germany's main fighting force, with himself at its head.  To that extent the charismatic Röhm swelled the SA from approximately 200,000 in 1931 to close to 2 million men by 1933.  His homosexual nature and stature within the SA also was the subject of scandal for Hitler and the Nazis during the 1932 election when the Social Democrats leaked letters between Röhm and a male doctor regarding their tastes in men to the general public.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/runs.htm</ref> Eventually, the SA, alongside the SS, were banned by [[Heinrich Bruening]] via Article 48 on April 1932, with the SA being outraged over this, although Hitler allowed it to be done, knowing full well that it was only a temporary setback, which was ultimately proven when Schleicher after secretly meeting with Hitler on May 8, 1932 proceeded to lift the ban and also have the Reichstag dissolved and have new elections in exchange for Hitler's support for a conservative, nationalistic government. The ban was fully lifted by June 15. They later proceeded to arrive at Berlin emmasse in August in anticipation of Hitler's ascension into power. However, Hindenburg ultimately refused to allow Hitler into power, largely because of the SA's behavior, with Papen and Schleicher offering vice chancellor as compensation on August 13. This resulted in Hitler threatening to have the SA engage in violent mayhem for three days across Germany, which resulted in him being brought before Hindenburg and told off by the president in person. Hitler was ultimately forced to put the SA into furlough for two weeks. In addition, the Nazis were losing seats by November 6 of that year, with the SA's behavior being one of the main reasons for it (alongside Hitler and Hindenberg refusing to compromise, people growing tired of various new elections for the Reichstag seats occurring continuously, and the Communists' destructive behavior also turning the populace against them).<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/collapse.htm</ref>

The SA reorganized by 1925. In particular, they gained the uniforms that led to their moniker of "brownshirts", and Hitler had created a small separate unit called the [[SS]] within the party that would act as his personal bodyguard.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/new.htm</ref> Ironically, however, the reorganized SA ended up nearly causing the Nazi Party to be disbanded again for between 1926 and 1927, after they beat up an old pastor for heckling them.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/quiet.htm</ref> After their victory on September 14, 1930, and then formally taking 107 seats in the Reichstag, the SA, while wearing civilian clothing, proceeded to celebrate by smashing the windows of various Jewish owned shops, department stores, and restaurants, an action that would eventually be repeated on a larger scale in "[[Kristallnacht]]", several years later. However, the SA desire to become a revolutionary army, and frequently conducting attacks despite Hitler's insistence that they lay low, often embarrassed him, which ultimately resulted to a minor coup at the Berlin Nazi Party offices led by SA Captain Walter Stennes being put down by the SS on Hitler's orders.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/success.htm</ref> In 1931, they were led by a radical who had grandiose dreams of his own: [[Ernst Röhm]], who had been nominated to replace Stennes for command of the SA.  An anti-capitalist who believed in a permanent, continuing revolution<ref>Shirer, William L. ''Rise and Fall of the Third Reich''. "The Nazification of Germany: 1933-34; 'No Second Revolution'"<br />''"A tremendous victory has been won. But not an absolute victory! The SA and the SS will not tolerate the German revolution going to sleep and being betrayed at the half-way stage by non-combatants. Not for the sake of the SA and SS but for Germany's sake. For the SA is the last armed force of the nation, the last defense against communism. If the German revolution is wrecked by the reactionary opposition, incompetence, or laziness, the German people will fall into despair and will be an easy prey for the bloodstained frenzy coming from the depths of Asia. If these bourgeois simpletons think that the national revolution has already lasted too long, for once we agree with them. It is in fact high time the national revolution stopped and became the National Socialist one. Whether they like it or not, we will continue our struggle - if they understand at last what it is about - with them; if they are unwilling - without them; and if necessary - against them."''[http://spartacus-educational.com/GERroehm.htm]</ref> (in a manner similar to what [[Leon Trotsky]] advocated), Röhm would use the SA to propel Hitler to the chancellery as well as increase the size of the organization to such an extent that it would threaten to replace the much smaller 100,000 man army as Germany's main fighting force, with himself at its head.  To that extent the charismatic Röhm swelled the SA from approximately 200,000 in 1931 to close to 2 million men by 1933.  His homosexual nature and stature within the SA also was the subject of scandal for Hitler and the Nazis during the 1932 election when the Social Democrats leaked letters between Röhm and a male doctor regarding their tastes in men to the general public.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/runs.htm</ref> Eventually, the SA, alongside the SS, were banned by [[Heinrich Bruening]] via Article 48 in April 1932, with the SA being outraged over this, although Hitler allowed it to be done, knowing full well that it was only a temporary setback, which was ultimately proven when Schleicher after secretly meeting with Hitler on May 8, 1932 proceeded to lift the ban and also have the Reichstag dissolved and have new elections in exchange for Hitler's support for a nationalistic government. The ban was fully lifted by June 15. They later proceeded to arrive at Berlin en masse in August in anticipation of Hitler's ascension into power. However, Hindenburg ultimately refused to allow Hitler into power, largely because of the SA's behavior, with Papen and Schleicher offering vice chancellor as compensation on August 13. This resulted in Hitler threatening to have the SA engage in violent mayhem for three days across Germany, which resulted in him being brought before Hindenburg and told off by the president in person. Hitler was ultimately forced to put the SA into furlough for two weeks. In addition, the Nazis were losing seats by November 6 of that year, with the SA's behavior being one of the main reasons for it (alongside Hitler and Hindenberg refusing to compromise, people growing tired of various new elections for the Reichstag seats occurring continuously, and the Communists' destructive behavior also turning the populace against them).<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/collapse.htm</ref>

Ultimately, the Nazi Party ended up winning many seats in the parliamentary elections, and Hitler made a strong showing in the German presidential election against Hindenburg, thereby establishing himself as a strong political force. Thereafter on January 30, 1933, the SA, alongside the SS, turned out in full uniform to celebrate his election victory, and also awaited for him to make an appearance alongside crowds of men, women and children with Nazi banners.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/named.htm</ref>

Ultimately, the Nazi Party ended up winning many seats in the parliamentary elections, and Hitler made a strong showing in the German presidential election against Hindenburg, thereby establishing himself as a strong political force. Thereafter on January 30, 1933, the SA, alongside the SS, turned out in full uniform to celebrate his election victory, and also awaited for him to make an appearance alongside crowds of men, women and children with Nazi banners.<ref>http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/riseofhitler/named.htm</ref>