Michael should have never allowed Fredo to go to Havana unsupervised whether it was for fun or to do any family business no matter how insignificant.

Yes but hindsight is 20/20. I don't think even Michael (who is smarter than anyone else) could have extrapolated that Fredo's incompetence and/or laziness/fear in dealing with Moe Green and the cocktail waitresses would mean that Fredo is a future liability and should be watched constantly.

We don't really know what Fredo's role or responsibilities are. He's listed as Underboss on the chart but that's sort of a joke, don't you think? He has men reporting to him but according to Fredo's rant he doesn't have any meaningful responsibilities, something I think Michael would agree with.

I think Michael did what he could in granting Fredo jobs or roles he thought his brother could handle. It was likely while doing one of those supposedly pedestrian jobs that Fredo complained to the wrong people and Roth/Ola were made aware of his discontent.

That raises the question of why Michael wasn't aware. I think , as I mentioned before that Michael's pride blinded him to Fredo's resentments. Also more pragmatically, assuming that anyone else knew, which person among the Western regimes would want to stick his neck out and inform Michael of Fredo's discontent or meetings with Ola?

Such a person would be taking a big risk. Michael didn't take bad news well. Maybe like Vito Genovese, Michael would have dealt with Fredo and then gotten rid of whoever told on Fredo, because well that person was a "rat"...

I agree with Lilo that Michael lacked the fraternal/paternal warmth that might have kept him more involved with Fredo. As far as he was concerned, giving Fredo chores to do constituted "takeing care" of him. I do agree with dt that, given Fredo's near-treachery with Moe Green, he should have kept more of an eye on him.

I tend to agree with Lilo that Michael probably believed that he was giving Fredo enough responsibility to keep him happy. After all, Fredo seems to relish his tour-guide role in Cuba. And someone who bangs cocktail waitresses two at a time might be expected to enjoy running a nightclub or a brothel.

While we can talk about how unperceptive Michael was, we should keep in mind his background. No blood relatives - even the rebellious and ambitious Michael - would ever have considered betraying Vito. Michael draws a distinction between "businessmen" and family members as regards loyalty. Even in the bloody world he was raised in, betrayal by a brother was beyond the pale.

Not so sure. Michael knew he was "losing" his family well before he spoke to him mother about the subject after Havana. Recall Mama says "you can never lose your family," and Michael replies, "tempi cambi."

I don't believe Michael was ever slipping. His cold heart is what kept his mind clear of all his decision thinking. If Michael was slipping, he would've kept Fredo alive, he would've trusted to more and the rest of his associates. Vito trained him very vell before his passing.

I'll admitt, after Fredo's betrayal it definately broke his heart, it was his only blood brother left. Thats why he loved Fredo so much and always protecting him but after that betrayal incident, how could he trust Tom and and the others. Michael was all strictly business, thats what I think kept him from slipping.

crap i had to type this really fast cause im at work so sorry for the major grammar mistakes and spelling!