I don't think Tom was necessarily a bad wartime consig, I think he didn't agree with this war so he wanted to end it. In the end what happens? Lots of people die and the Corleones help out in the drug trade without getting the big cut of it. Tom saw this and wanted to end an unnessesary war that wouldn't be worth fighting.

I doubt they were looking for Fredo to be a point man for the big move. He had a nervous breakdown after Vito was shot, and the Nevada sojourn was, initially at least, a rest cure. Maybe they thought Fredo could be useful as a hotel or casino manager, but not the point man to legitimize the family.

A possible indicator of Fredo's weakness: Michael tells Moe Green that he took Fredo in because "...the Molinari Family on the Coast guaranteed his safety."

Michael really went out of his way to criticize Fredo's lack of "machismo" in that scene. He really treated Fredo like shit, just like he treated everyone else that was close to him.

Fredo wasn't very smart, but that wasn't his biggest problem. His biggest problem was his weakness.

I wouldn't go that far in describing the way Mike treated Fredo. Condescending perhaps. He really didn't treat Fredo like someone that was supposed to be in a high place in the casino business.

In his defense, Tom tied to stop Sonny but he left in such a hurry. And with Genco said to fear Fanucci.. everyone except Vito did, even Clemenza and Tessio. It was when Vito sees the young hoods cut Fanucci that he realizes that Fanucci is nothing to fear. Genco was all brains and no strength. I wish Genco was in the films a little more. If you had never read the novel then you would have little knowledge of Genco.