The Nazi Dictatorship, 1933–1939 (A-level only) common mistakes

Common mistakes

• Overlooking the role of the SA

  Students often neglect to discuss the significance of the SA in the consolidation of Nazi power.

  Fix itEmphasize the SA's role in street violence and intimidation, and how their purge during the Night of the Long Knives was crucial for Hitler's control.

• Confusing the SS and Gestapo

  Many students confuse the roles of the SS and the Gestapo, thinking they were the same organization.

  Fix itThe SS was a paramilitary organization responsible for various functions, including the enforcement of Nazi ideology, while the Gestapo was specifically the secret police focused on internal security.

• Confusing economic policies

  Students often confuse the roles of Schacht and Göring in Nazi economic policies.

  Fix itClarify that Schacht focused on initial economic recovery through the New Plan, while Göring later emphasized military production through the Four Year Plan.

• Overgeneralizing Nazi policies

  Students often claim that all Nazi policies were uniformly successful.

  Fix itIt's important to analyze the varying impacts of policies on different groups and recognize the contradictions within Nazi ideology.