Barzini break the peace?

At the end of the Commission meeting in GF, Vito swears "that I will not be the one to break the peace we made today." Later, in the fishtank scene, Tessio complains: "Barzini's people chisel my territory, and we do nothing about it. Pretty soon there won't be one place in Brooklyn I can hang my hat!"

Did Barzini break the peace Vito made earlier?

It certainly seems that way.

One thing from the book that's left out of the movie is that after the peace is made at the conference, they continue discussing other matters, including that high-level executions would have to be run past the other families before they're carried out. So the Corleones public choice is either jabber with Barzini, or to turn a blind eye and give the impression that they've gone soft.

When Barzini says the traffic in narcotics will be permitted but controlled,and Don Corleone will provide protection in the East,and so will be the peace, and Vito agrees to keep that peace, I think that they are strictly referring to ending the war over Narcotics. With 5 major Families all operating in New York, there have always been incursions into each others territory. Mostly,they are settled with sit downs, sometimes with more aggressive arbitration techniques. My point is that if Barzini was weaseling into the Corleone rackets,it was outside the scope of the peace agreement made at the Commission, since it didn't involve the drug business.

The peace agreement was just a ploy on both Corleone and Barzini to buy time in order to plot the others inevitable demise. Barzini could not survive for Corleone's peace of mind and continued strength, and in order for Barzini to become the most powerful Don, Corleone had to be eliminated.

I always liked that line from Tessio, considering that I don't think we ever see Tessio with a hat!

I too “think that they are strictly referring to ending the war over Narcotics”

If my memory serves me right, my understanding, the Commission meeting achieved peace solutions for -

• traffic in drugs

Barzini: Don Corleone will give protection and there will be peace ie: the only peace Barzini made was in respect of the drugs trade
Vito swears "that I will not be the one to break the peace we made today." ie: Vito will continue to give protection for the drugs trade

Barzini made no peace that he would not chisel Corleones' territory!

• Vito and Tattaglia

forgoing individual vendetta, each having lost a son
Vito and Tattaglia made peace with each other not to avenge the murders of their sons

• Michael's safe return

clearing of all these false Sollozzo business charges! and ensuring Michael's safety

It seems to me the peace made at the Commission meeting related to,
1. Vito's protection for the drugs trade
2. Vito and Tattaglia forgoing vengeance
3. Michael's safe return and staying safe

It had nothing to do with business!

I think that "the peace" existed before Sollozzo entered the picture: respect one another's territory, do each other services if you can. I think that the peace conference restores that broader peace, with the change that the Corleones will protect the drug trade.

Apparently, Barzini broke the peace first. However, as the novel states, even Tom knew that Vito's agreement was not true to his character. He knew that a day of reckoning was in the future.

Technically, Barzini didn't break the peace. The agreement the Dons made was a limited one: They agreed to end the war, and not interfere with Michael's return to the US, in return for Vito providing protection for drug trafficking in the East. Period. Nothing in that agreement prohibited Barzini from taking advantage of the Corleones' apparent weakness by planting flags in Tessio's territory.

Pete's and Oli are right. The Dons respected each others' territories when they appeared strong enough to defend their territories, or when there was no other provocation or opportunity (like Solozzo's drugs deal, which would have helped all of them make money). Vito's day of reckoning would come to pass when Michael returned and took vengeance because the agreement wasn't binding on him. As Vito said in the novel: "Revenge is a dish best eaten cold."

I reckon no one broke the agreements made at the Commission meeting

There was no agreement binding Vito either to make the Corleones top Mafia family again but he needed never wanted this for you son Michael to pull it off

The Dons respected each other's territories but would never pass opportunities to chisel each other's territories even in peace times more so when they smell blood in apparent weakness Barzini was always wanting what Vito had achieved, to be the Top Mafia Don

why chisel Tessio not Clemenza territory Was he next

It might just be a vestige of the novel. Barzini "completely controlled" Staten Isand, and had some gambling in Brooklyn and Queens, so Tessio's domain would be adjacent to his.

Makes sense Pete that Tessio's domain being adjacent to Barzini's was easier, convenient pickings than Clemenza's. Tessio was unlucky!

Tessio: [fish tank scene] with Vito gone, me and Pete will come under Barzini's thumb sooner or later Looks like Tessio chose sooner!

Patience is a virtue Then they could “all live happily for a hundred years”

If you could ask one question
Did Clemenza really pass the loyalty test? though or

Perhaps Clemenza was just lucky! by sitting tight and doing nothing because he was not losing his territories, got away with it?
ie: Clemenza's loyalty was not tested?

Choosing to do nothing is an active, conscious decision. Michael asked both to be patient. Clem was patient, so he did what Michael told him to do. That showed loyalty.

I also saw in that scene a hint, perhaps, of things to come. Vito finally intervenes and says to Clem and Tess: "Do you trust my judgment?" "Always, Godfather," Clem replies, fervently. Tess hisses, "Yessss...." And, if I'm not mistaken, as they leave, Tess gives Michael a left-handed handshake--a sure sign of perfidy to come.

Of course, Clemenza leaves without shaking Michael's hand.

No doubt it is easy to be patient and do nothing, when not losing his territories like Tessio Let off the hook

Clem vigorously supported Tessio at the beginning of that scene. After Tess said, "...sooner or later, me an' Pete will come under Barzini's thumb," Clem piped right up: "An' I hate that goddamn Barzini." He also asked Vito's permission for Tess and he to form their own family, But, when his Don asked him to be a friend to Michael, he was a friend to Michael, and when asked to be patient, he was patient.

Exactly Pete. The novel makes it clear that to insure Michael's safe return to the US, Vito had to make the peace. Further, Vito's hugely explicit and dramatic statement that by swearing on the souls of his grandchildren he would not be the one to break the peace laid the groundwork for Michael being the one to break the peace on that future day of "reckoning". Of course, the novel makes it clear that Barzini has already broken the peace and that Michael, while seen by the Dons as intelligent, could never equal Vito's intelligence or cunning. Thus, he (and the Corleones) was not to be feared.

True Turnbull but the fact remains he was not backed into a corner like Tessio

Clemenza could afford to sit tight and “did what Michael [and Vito] told him to do” because he was not losing his territories

However I acknowledge, whilst “he [Clemenza] was not backed into a corner like Tessio” Clemenza did so, in spite of his reservations that “In six months' time there won't be nothing left to build” made the smart move – Clemenza was always smarter!

Clemenza could afford to sit tight because time was also on his side for now and reservations is not the same quandary as Barzini's people actually chiselling his territories like Tessio's

How loyal would he have been then?

I still believe Clemenza's loyalty was not really put to the test unlike Tessio's because Clemenza was not losing his territories like Tessio

However Michael did keep reassuring including ”Be patient There are things being negotiated now that are gonna solve all your problems and answer all your questions”

Tessio should have had more faith in his Don Catch-22 indeed

Clemenza still has place to hang his hat