How did Heydrich know that Heusmann was to become leader after Hitler had died, and why did Smith need that information? I mean Smith would have found out anyway.
shareHe wanted to find out the ring leader and it just so happens to be Heusmann whom was the acting chancellor appointed by hitler.
shareHow did Heydrich know that Heusmann was to become leader after Hitler had died,
and why did Smith need that information? I mean Smith would have found out anyway.
They were trying to root out the remaining Heydrich conspirators, who were still active, attempting to take advantage of Hitler's impending death, and start the war with Japan through Diels' defection with the Crown Prince shooter's info (Diels was a conspirator).
They assumed that Diels' defection was a contingency plan put in place by Heydrich. They got him to let his guard down by letting him believe this part of the plan had succeeded ("San Francisco is flattened"), make him think that his fellow conspirators had taken control of the Reich, and were taking steps to have him returned to Germany to be installed as chancellor.
They expected a circle of traitors acting behind the scenes taking advantage of the power vacuum on behalf of Heydrich, they were surprised that Heydrich wasn't the ringleader himself (but they might have allowed for the possibility, keeping their language ambiguous).
Because that was the plan all along.
The assumption from Hitler's camp was that Heussman would be a stooge until the next coup. However, he was part of the larger conspiracy all along to kill Hitler and wipe out Japan and remain Chancellor.
Smith need that information?Smith needed the info because he & his family would be targeted as evidenced by the arrival of the SS troops sent to "help" Smith.