Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-97.81.240.58-20130603234626/@comment-6707115-20130625145630

The thing about the White-Gold Concordat is that it had to be signed because although the Thalmor armies in Cyrodil were completely destroyed, and the Thalmor stood no chance of taking Hammerfell, the war had developed into a stalemate. Though the Empire could have beaten the Dominion, they would have been unable to do so without mortally wounding the Empire (because come on, does anyone here really belive that the Dominion wouldn't try and take the rest of Tamriel down with them if they knew they'd lose).

Also all the talk about the Empire basically throwing in the towel is untrue, by what General Tulius mentions a second war with the Thalmor is on the horizon and the Empire knows it. The Concordat was simply to buy some breathing time for the second round, and the only reason the Thalmor got any results at the begininning of the Great war is because of a sneak attack, and the Thalmor still couldn't win a solid victory over the Empire, the War basically ended in military stalemate. So just imagine how the second war would go if the Empire were prepared against any Dominion sneak attack.