User blog comment:Spritydove/Deeper Thought into the Civil War/@comment-24.127.149.128-20120714023416/@comment-3472264-20120720161558

@Anon She doesn't do it willingly, she was basically black-mailed into doing by the Battle-Borns, who while they are loyal to the Legion they are not a part of it.

Tullius and Balgruuf never have any direct contact in the entire game, the closest thing was when Balgruuf was talking to the Legate and technically Balgruuf does deserve credit for the idea because if it wasn't for the hundreds of Stormcloaks knocking down his walls then he wouldn't have allowed any Imperial Troops to be stationed in Whiterun for the defense in the first place.

Afterwards the troops are prompty pulled out and the Imperial influence in Whiterun becomes very minimal.

I never said the Whiterun wasn't loyal to the Empire, you'd have to be blind to not see that but their stance on the war is mostly neutral before and after the battle.