User blog comment:AveryWood/Reasons Why Going With the Empire is Better/@comment-1967485-20120818180540/@comment-1840877-20120819105145

Don't you understand? After the Battle of the Red Ring, the Empire was running on fumes. Not a single Legion -- not one! -- had more than half its troops fit for duty. The Eighth Legion was completely wiped out. Titus Mede II realised that the only realistic option at that point was to negotiate peace with the Thalmor.