Originally Posted by Evita
No doubt He betrayed his brother for personal gain. What did Fredo think was going to happen?

How about the fact that he gave information to the Family's adversaries, opened the drapes to Michael and Kay's bedrooom, who used it to attempt the hit?

Then when Michael survived the Tahoe shooting, he deliberately and deceitfully concealed the Senate hearing and cunningly withheld the information he knew, for Michael to commit perjury because he can only get the Donship if he was dead or sent to prison

Let’s be honest Michael initially did give him a pass “I know he's scared -- tell him everything's all right. Tell him I know Roth misled him -- and he didn't know they were planing to kill me.”

Fredo's outburst in the boathouse revealed
1. the depth of his resentment toward his brother.
2. his jealousy, simmering anger at being stepped over
3. the extent of his deeper involvement with Roth against his brother

We had debated before Fredo could have been spared but Turnbull puts up an excellent case for it's justification

Originally Posted by Turnbull

Michael's ordering of Fredo's murder was a horrific act. Michael was a reprehensibllle man, heading a reprehensible criminal empire. But, from his viewpoint, Fredo had to die. Fredo's outburst in the boathouse revealed the depth of his resentment toward his brother. Sooner or later, someone elserwould approach Fredo with yet anpther death-dealing offer. And, as Don, Michael had to prove to enemies and even friends that no one--not even his brother--gets a pass from Michael Corleone, no one finds a c***k l in his armor. As Hyman Roth said, "This is the business we've chosen."

Michael being tormented by Fredo's murder in spite of his treachery, shows he has heart

. Completely Disagree. Like I mentioned in an earlier post I understand that the thought of Mike is killing his own brother is so horrific that I think we have to almost try and make Fredo look bad to justify it. Also main characters tend to have more sympathy from the audience even if they commit evil acts. But there really is no evidence in that film portrayal of Fredo that he was capable of that ruthlessness. Was he resentful? Yes but not as the point of harming his brother. I think the basic truth is that he simply wanted to be looked at as capable. He wasn’t trying to take out Mike or even remove him from power, I really think Fredo thought he was helping the Corleones. Of course that was stupid but that doesn’t make him ruthless. Again there is zero justification in Mike murdering Fredo. Hell even Mike himself admits in the films he knows Roth misled him but Mikes morality was so far gone at that point it didn’t matter