[Rinfanawen]

Originally Posted by Gurthang
I'm not sure about that. I think the elves of Lorien were more populated and better defensively than Gondor. After all, the elves had been there for more than an age, most likely with a steadily increasing population. But in Minas Tirith, the bloodlines were weakening and the population declining.

For one, yes the Elves were increasing in number with age, but also many were leaving on ships across the sea. This happened quite often actually, for the Shirelings spotted Elves travelling through their woods a bit more times than a few, if I recall correctly. I'm sure that Elves of Lothlorien left Middle Earth just as often as those from Rivendell and Mirkwood. So the number would be down just the same.

It would make sense that Sauron would send a larger force against the wood-elves because they were a bigger threat. That is, they would have been, if they had gotten of their lazy butts and helped with the war. As it were, they sat there and watched Sauron waste three armies trying to assault them.

In my opinion, this was not really caused by the fact that the Elves were "lazy". I think that the Elves went through the same decision as the Hobbits and the Dwarves of Middle Earth. The battle was being fought on Man's ground. The Hobbits, as they more than often chose, wished to ignore all business outside of the Shire for that main purpose. It was outside of the Shire. The matters did not concern them.

This battle was fought against the armies of Men and Men alone...aside from a few small Hobbits. The Dwarves were not there either, because the matter did not involve Dwarves at that time. We cannot put all the blame on the Elves just because they happened to be a stronger force. The Elves made their choice, and they decided that it was not their battle to fight.

That was his key mistake. He spread his armies too much. If he had used his largest force, he could have easily crushed Gondor inspite of the Rohirrim and the Corsairs. He would have then taken back his ring, and only the will of the Valar could have saved the earth then.

Though this is a well though out point, Gurthang, there is no certainty that he would get his ring back. You must think that throughout this battle, Sauron's strongest armies were still within the walls of Mordor, as were two small Hobbits. Somehow Frodo and Sam seemed to slip by even Sauron's greatest. Now, think of how much easier it would have been if Mordor had been occupied by Sauron's 2nd greatest, while the best were out at battle. I think that Frodo and Sam still would have been able to make it...even if our heroes of the Pelennor Fields might have ended up being killed off and thus not able to destract the Eye at Frodo's defining hour at Mount Doom. Frodo still would have had a good chance at making it. But that's just what I think.