Ben Wilson

is the chancellor.

In November, his friend Schleicher betrays him.

So he's deeply resentful.

So Schleicher is only chancellor from November to February.

And then von Papen, who is now deeply resentful of Schleicher, begins secret negotiations with Hitler.

He hadn't wanted to work with him before because, you know, Von Papen, he's a conservative guy.

He doesn't associate with these rabble-rousers, with these far-right provocateurs, with these bohemians, with, you know, okay.

So, but now he's like, you know what?

Screw Schlager.

I hate that guy.

He was my friend and he betrayed me.

So I'm going to do the thing that makes most sense to betray him and to stab him in the back.

And he convinced himself that he could use Hitler, that with Papen in the cabinet, with conservatives holding the key appointments, with their networks and their experience and their institutional connections, Hitler could be the front man while they pulled the strings, right?

Besides...

Hitler, he's naive.

He's never been in government.

He doesn't know how this works.

We conservatives, we've been in government all the time, right?

So we'll have no problem sort of hemming him in and keeping him in line.

And so he tells that to Hindenburg.