Alternate "Hiding the Ring" strategies

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man

Isn't this rather the point. They might have hidden the Ring. They might even have been able to do so securely. But it would not have prevented Sauron defeating the Free Peoples militarily.

But doesn't it rather defeat defeat the point of their (and particularly Frodo's) struggle and make it all rather unnecessary if Eru was always going to "save" them in the end anyway?

Yes, I think that even if they did hide it, then Sauron would have killed off everyone anyway, and the Ring would be prolonged even further from being destroyed, and more people would die than was needed.