Let be the augmentation ideal of , generated by the elements . First prove its nilpotence. A nontrivial finite -group has a central element of order . Put . In characteristic , , and
Induction on says that the image of in this smaller group algebra is nilpotent. Thus for some , and . The trivial group starts the induction. This proves nilpotence of a p-group augmentation ideal.
The quotient homomorphism kills exactly the differences of elements in each -coset, so
Normality of makes stable under conjugation by . Moving group elements past factors from therefore gives . Consequently