Hitler decided on 21 June that Röhm and the SA leadership had to be eliminated. He sent Göring to Berlin on 29 June, to meet with Himmler and Heydrich to plan the action. Hitler took charge in Munich, where Röhm was arrested; he gave Röhm the choice to commit suicide or be shot. When Röhm refused to kill himself, he was shot dead by two SS officers. Between 85 and 200 members of the SA leadership and other political adversaries, including Gregor Strasser, were killed between 30 June and 2 July 1934 in these actions, known as the Night of the Long Knives. With the SA thus neutralised, the SS became an independent organisation answerable only to Hitler on 20 July 1934. Himmler's title of Reichsführer-SS became the highest formal SS rank, equivalent to a field marshal in the army. The SA was converted into a sports and training organisation.
Hitler decided on 21 June that Röhm and the SA leadership had to be eliminated He sent Göring to Berlin on 29 June to meet with Himmler and Heydrich to plan the action Hitler took charge in Munich where Röhm was arrested; he gave Röhm the choice to commit suicide or be shot When Röhm refused to kill himself he was shot dead by two SS officers Between 85 and 200 members of the SA leadership and other political adversaries including Gregor Strasser were killed between 30 June and 2 July 1934 in these actions known as the Night of the Long Knives With the SA thus neutralised the SS became an independent organisation answerable only to Hitler on 20 July 1934 Himmler's title of Reichsführer-SS became the highest formal SS rank equivalent to a field marshal in the army The SA was converted into a sports and training organisation