I think that we all view most films in a 'rambo' type scenario where good guy always wins. We don't realize that this story of Puzos is like a myth. Like the myth that Homer tried to tell about this earth shattering war that sent echoes throughout the centuries. This La Cosa Nostra war is similiar to that great myth of Homers in that it is bloody and violent and knows no logic or conventional thought that we may take for granted. Mike's world is a world that no one knows about. A world where dying for 'your family' is not an option its the cold hard truth. Yes, Mike did know he was going to die. He made that decision when he took over for his pop. Thats why Vito was so upset I think, this war of their's leaves very few survivors. Mike was willing to die for his country, and willing to die for his family.

I'm telling ya, Turnbull has to be one of the world's elite on this topic. And it's hard to accept that Mike would have no escape plan, but.....the military police was following him the whole time and could have killed him at any point(as TB said).
For them to let him leave in his own private car that night as opposed to riding with the death squad would not be an option. That would have 'screwed up the arrangements' and I can't see Roth, etc, not planning for this and saying 'hey, dont let this guy leave the new years party alive.'

At the least it is very much a debate, and not to be set aside by our initial logic that thinks Mike has no problem escaping the new years party and havana alive.

TB is on to something folks!