Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-76.97.80.106-20130811163656/@comment-14138255-20140611025601

Well it is one thing if it is simply an individual who has lost will, but there is plenty of resistance (particularly former Stormcloaks if you conquer them) and several officers (one of which himself is a High Elf) hate the Thalmor, including a high ranking General who wants a war with them. They still have their provinces and loads of angry people, they can still fight the Thalmor. And you yourself can eradicate an entire Thalmor prison (which may not be canon). Also, a problem that may arise is reeducating the priests in Solitude to worship Talos again. Even Heimskre (the bat-shit crazy Talos priest in Whiterun) calls on both Children of the Empire and the Stormcloaks, and Alvor (an Imperial supporting Nord) claims the Nords were never fair weather friends.