Mordor inspired by Nazi Germany?

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Bêthberry

Well, let's take this further to see what legs it can stand on.

And what of Japan?

[Morthoron]

Originally Posted by alatar

And what of Japan?

Or for that matter Italy? Mussolini was a tin-horn dictator and his armies never fared well (their battles in Ethiopia against Selasse were documented fiascos). Mussolini was never considered more than a demagogue and Hitler toadie, and the Italian army crumbled in Africa and Italy without much pressure and little success, so one really couldn't compare Benito with Saruman. Saruman's army was certainly effective (having won at the Battle of the Fords of Isen, for instance) and lost at Helm's Deep due to circumstances beyond their control, even though their battle strategy was sound (it was Saruman's lack of foresight that lost the day, not the army he sent out).