Circa 1956-1958: The Eastern Corleone Family becomes embroiled in a territorial conflict with the Rosato Brothers, possibly renegade Corleone soldiers, who are secretly backed by Miami based crime lord, Hyman Roth. Peter Clemenza dies and is replaced as New York Capo by longtime family soldier, Frankie "Five Angels" Pentangelli. The hostility between the Rosato's and Eastern Corleone Family becomes more hostile; the Rosato Brothers begin taking hostages by early 1958.
Spring 1958: The Corleone Family is officially established in Nevada. Michael and Hyman Roth enter into negotiations via Roth's messenger Johnny Ola for the Corleone Family to take control over some of Roth's casinos, and also to begin a lucrative business partnership in Cuba. While Roth is outwardly supportive, he does not wish to share power, and plots Michael's murder. Fredo is courted by Johnny Ola and seduced with the promise of independent power if he will give Ola and Roth some information. He is supposedly informed that this information will simply make the negotiations between Roth and Michael go smoother.
During negotiations to gain a hotel in Nevada, owned by Meyer Klingman (an associate of Roth's), Turnbull an affiliate of Nevada Senator Pat Geary. Turnbull is approached by Tom Hagen, who a arranges a meeting with Senator Geary concerning the gaming licence for the hotel and casino.
May 1958: Michael's son, Anthony, receives Holy Communion. By this time, Kay is pregnant with their third child.
Michael meets with Johnny Ola to discuss the transfer of some casinos to Corleone Control; he also meets with Senator Geary to discuss the transfer of the casino and hotel as well as the fees for the gaming license. Geary rebuffs Michael and insults Michael, his family, and Italian-Americans.
Michael meets also with Frank Pentagelli and his second in command, Willie Cicci, who bitterly complain about Michael's inaction against the Rosato's. Michael orders Frankie to make peace with the Rosato's, and he is warned by Frankie about doing business with Hyman Roth.
That night, Michael is nearly assassinated in his bedroom. The gunmen are mysteriously killed before they can be found and questioned.
Michael turns over control of the Family to Tom, and goes to Miami to meet with Hyman Roth. He claims to Roth that he will take care of Pentangelli; that he knows Pentangelli was behind the assassination attempt. Meanwhile, he goes to New York and tells Pentangelli that he knows Roth was behind the attempt, but orders Pentangelli to do nothing and make peace with the Rosato Brothers.
Winter 1958: Michael travels to Havana with his brother Fredo, to discuss Roth and Michael's takeover of Cuba. Roth, Michael, and several of their partners travel to Havana to discuss their future Cuban business prospects under the cooperative government of Fulgencio Batista; Michael becomes reluctant after reconsidering the viability of the ongoing Cuban Revolution.
December 31st, 1958/January 1st, 1959: Michael attempts to have Roth and Roth's right-hand man Johnny Ola killed by his bodyguard, but Roth survives when Michael's bodyguard is discovered and shot by police. Michael accuses his brother Fredo of betrayal after Fredo inadvertently reveals that he'd met with Ola previously. Batista abruptly abdicates due to rebel advances; during the ensuing chaos, Michael, Fredo, and Roth separately escape to the United States.
Back home in Lake Tahoe, Michael learns that his wife Kay has miscarried their child.
Meanwhile, during what is meant to be a peace meeting with the Rosatos, Frank Pentangelli and Willie Cicci are nearly killed by the Rosatos and are taken into custody by the police and are arrested on a variety of (likely trumped up) charges. They are convinced Michael betrayed them, and are convinced to cooperate with the Feds and testify against him.
1959: Michael is put under investigation by a Senate Committee. One of the Senators is under the control of Roth, who is using the hearings to cripple Michael as a legitimate businessman and thus destroy his power in Las Vegas. The Committee trots out Willie Cicci as an informant, who names Michael as he head of the most powerful organized crime family in America and describes his role as a button man and claims to have received orders to kill for Michael Corleone, but cannot directly implicate Michael in any crimes. Appearing at a later hearing in the winter, Michael denies all charges.
The Senate Committee then brings forward Frank Pentangelli, who the Committee is certain will directly implicate Michael. Michael appears in court with Pentangelli's brother. Upon seeing his brother, Pentangelli recants his sworn confession, and claims not to have ever been part of any "Corleone Family"; claiming only to have been a legitimate business partner of his father, Vito, in the olive oil trade. The case against Michael collapses. Pentangelli is put into witness protection.
Winter 1959: Michael's marriage to Kay collapses when she reveals her miscarriage was actually an abortion, done to spite Michael. She is exiled from the Compound, and is denied access to their children. She is seemingly cut out of all aspects of their lives.
1960: Fredo reluctantly returns home to Nevada, an exile within the Family. He confesses to having betrayed the Family to Roth and is exiled from the Family Compound. Connie begs Michael to forgive Fredo.
Carmela Corleone, widow of Vito and mother of Michael and Fredo, dies, and during the funeral, Michael publicly makes peace with Fredo, while plotting his murder.
At the same time, Michael, Neri, and Lampone plot the murder of Hyman Roth, who has been denied sanctuary and political asylum by multiple countries. Tom Hagen is ordered to convince Pentangelli to commit suicide for his betrayal.
Hyman Roth is assassinated by Rocco Lampone, who is himself killed by the FBI.
Hagen persuades Pentangelli to commit suicide, with the promise that his family will be taken care of if he does.
Fredo is taken on a boat ride with Al Neri, and executed, his body dumped into the lake near the Corleone Compound.
Fall 1968: Many years later, Michael is seen sitting alone, his mind flashing back to December 7th, 1941, when he announced to the Family (including the now dead Sonny, Tessio, Carlo, and Fredo) his intention to join the Marines against his Father's wishes, and ruminates on his personal downfall as a man, despite being the most powerful Mob boss in the country.
