Summarize these in your own words
The SA, Hitler’s so-called storm troopers, were a type of private army which Hitler used to his advantage during the 1920’s and early 30’s to whip up support for the Nazi Party. The SA would often use violence to break-up political meetings of opposing parties, such as the Communist Party. When elections were held, the SA would be out in force “encouraging,” i.e. frequently threatening citizens to vote for the Nazis. After 1933, the SA became too powerful a force of its own; Hitler recognized that, if Germany were to go to war, it would need the support of the traditional German military machine, i.e. support of the elite General Staff officers, many of whom were soldiers in the first World War, many who were from wealthy, land owning families, many who were sympathetic to the concept of having and needing a strong leader and a strong military, many who were, at heart, suspicious of a democracy, such as the German Weimar Republic, established as part of the Versailles Peace Treaty ending World War 1. The SA was forced to dissolve about 1934 and most of its members were integrated into the German armed forces.
The SS, Hitler’s elite military force was established to raise a generation of specially trained men who would follow orders without question. They participated, for example, as the Einsatzgruppen (Special Forces) and were responsible for conducting the mass executions in front of open pit grave sites (usually dug by the victims themselves) of thousands of innocent, Jewish citizens and political dissidents. Especially in the Soviet Union. Many were concentration camp guards or, as Rudolf Hoess at Auschwitz, rose to the ranks of a commandant of a concentration camp.
The Main Office of the Order Police participated in roundups of Jews, guarding and shooting of Jews in ghettos, concentration camps and in towns occupied by the Germans.
Sicherheitsdienst SD = the Nazi CIA became the watchdog of the state, carefully monitoring the allegiance of all members of society, including the SS Heydrich was the leader of the SD and had tremendous power; he was present at the Wannsee Conference (see ahead).
