Editing Weimar Republic (section)

==== Schleicher cabinet ====
{{Further|Kurt von Schleicher#Chancellorship}}
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-B0527-0001-020, Kurt von Schleicher (cropped)(2).jpg|thumb|253x253px|[[Kurt von Schleicher]], the last chancellor of the Weimar Republic before Hitler]]
In the [[German federal election, November 1932|6 November 1932 election]], the Nazis received two million fewer votes than in the previous election.<ref name="Evans-2004">{{cite book |last=Evans |first=Richard J. |author-link=Richard J. Evans |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781594200045/page/446 |title=The Coming of the Third Reich |publisher=The Penguin Press |year=2004 |isbn=1-59420-004-1 |location=New York |page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781594200045/page/446 446]}}</ref> Kurt von Schleicher, a retired army general who for many years had worked politically behind the scenes to further the interests of Germany's military,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pyta |first=Wolfram |date=2007 |title=Schleicher, Kurt von |url=https://www.deutsche-biographie.de/pnd118608037.html#ndbcontent |access-date=10 July 2024 |website=Neue Deutsche Biographie 23 |pages=50–52 [Online-Version]}}</ref> maneuvered Papen out of office and was appointed chancellor by Hindenburg on 3 December.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Neumann |first=Klaus |date=1991 |title=Franz von Papen |url=https://www.lwl.org/westfaelische-geschichte/portal/Internet/input_felder/seite1_westf_bild.php?urlID=336 |access-date=17 July 2023 |website=Internet-Portal Westfälische Geschichte |language=de}}</ref> He tried to cause a split within the Nazi Party that would force Hitler to support his government but failed in the attempt.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|p=28}}

One of the main initiatives of Schleicher's government was a public works program intended to counter the effects of the [[Great Depression]]. The various projects, which are often wrongly attributed to Hitler, created 2 million jobs for unemployed Germans by July 1933.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|p=133}} In foreign policy, Schleicher's main interest was in winning {{Lang|de|Gleichberechtigung}} ("equality of status") for Germany at the [[World Disarmament Conference]] by doing away with Part V of the [[Treaty of Versailles]], which had disarmed Germany.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|p=103}}

Schleicher's relations with his cabinet were poor because of his secretiveness and open contempt for his ministers.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|p=94}} Papen had become Schleicher's bitter enemy when he was forced out of office but retained Hindenburg's confidence. He advised him to sack Schleicher and appoint Hitler chancellor in a coalition with the [[German National People's Party]] (DNVP) which, together with Papen, would work to rein in Hitler. On 28 January 1933, Schleicher told his cabinet that he needed a decree from the President to dissolve the Reichstag in order to keep his government from being defeated in a no-confidence vote, but Hindenburg refused the request.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|pp=131–132}}

Knowing that his government was about to fall and fearing that Papen would get the chancellorship, Schleicher began to favor Hitler.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|p=148}} Hitler was initially willing to support Schleicher as his minister of Defense but was convinced by an associate of Schleicher that he was about to launch a putsch to keep Hitler out of power. Amid rumors that Schleicher was moving troops into Berlin to depose Hindenburg, Papen convinced him to appoint Hitler chancellor. The President dismissed Schleicher and appointed Hitler on 30 January 1933.{{Sfn|Turner|1996|pp=148–150}}