You can't expect an author to include everything just because it's true. At what point is there enough detail? The author is always going to leave SOMETHING out, regardless of how hard he tries to be totally "realistic." So, what is included is determined by the themes of the story. Tolkien chose to focus on some of the nobler aspects of war and left the nastier stuff up to our imaginations. Both are equally real and legitimate subjects.
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Stories and songs.
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