Aragorn's mistake concerning the army raised from the Paths of the Dead

[The Saucepan Man]

As usual, the answer can be found in Sharkû's post. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

But, even assuming that the original oath did extend beyond the lands of Gondor, I am not at all sure that the Army of the Dead would have been an effective force against the host of Sauron. As Kuruharan stated:

The Dead operated by fear. If that fear is removed they are not so effective.

The Dead were effective against the Men pressed into Sauron's service because their fear of the Dead outweighed their allegiance to Sauron. But the bulk of Sauron's host was made up of Orcs and Trolls, who (as I understand it) were directed by Sauron's own will, and who were themselves led by the undead in the form of the Nazgul. So I suspect that the Army of the Dead would have been far less effective against them.

[ September 19, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]