Originally Posted By: marty
Hey guys, I just found this site, and I like it a lot. I've been reading up on the Cosa Nostra in the United States for the last year or so, and I'm ready to discuss my overall impressions with some experts.

As far as toughness, here's the list that I had in mind before I found this thread. Keep in mind that I don't know a lot about many of the lower lever mafia players, so my selection is pretty much limited to the various bosses.

1. Vito Genovese
2. Carmine Galante
3. Albert Anastasia

I am very curious why nobody in this thread has mentioned Genovese. His reputation for brutality among guys of his generation was rivaled only by Anastasia. Lucky Luciano once called him "the world's greatest hitman." And I read the earlier discussion about toughness vs just being a mean bastard, and while I agree that there is a difference, I think that if you are a mean bastard who has made it to the top of the mob, you're probably pretty tough. All three of the guys on this list are psychopaths, and violent psychopaths are some of the toughest guys out there (unfortunately).

Other factors that I believe contribute to Vito's toughness include the following (please correct me if I'm wrong):
-He immigrated to the United States when he was a teenager, with no family or support
-He was on the team that assassinated Joe the Boss, which would take massive balls
-When he fled to Italy for ten years, he basically pulled together a huge black market organization from scratch, and managed to play both sides of the war against each other (you gotta be tough to successfully deal with the Fascists and the US Army)
-When he was sent away to prison as an old man, he didn't say shit (I'm looking at you Joey Massino!)

Some of you guys seem more well-read on the Mafia than I am, so I'm wondering what you think about my view of Don Vittono.


Welcome aboard....your position is compelling. I rarely think of the young mean Vito. I always think of the old man with glasses who had others do his murdering for him.

Don't forget he had a man murdered so he could marry his wife (Anna was her name I believe). Anna eventually ratted Vito out and he did nothing to her that we know about. He loses toughness points in my book for that. Compare that to Mad Sam DeStefano who made his wife have sex with a random black dude off the street once when she pissed him off.

Best way to catch the smart ones? Get an idiot working for them.