Mordor inspired by Nazi Germany?

[Gwathagor]

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Looking at the European civilisations it's pretty easy to see that the threats came (come!!!) from east and south whether they were (are) persians, carthagenians, huns, slavs, ottomans, arabs...

It's the basic story of the West. And wasn't Tolkien writing a mythology eg. the "basic story"?

Some of the most significant, defining threats to the western world have come from the north, as seen by the invaded states. The Romans had the Goths, Vandals, and Huns, Charlemagne had his nemeses the Saxons, and everybody suffered under the ubiquitous Vikings.

I agree about those other invasions though, the Muslims in particular.

[davem]

Actually, Tolkien's inspiration for LotR was the Wars of the Roses - Aragorn was clearly modelled on Richard III - even down to the broken sword:

.

Elrond is therefore Warwick, the Kingmaker, whose daughter Aragorn goes on to wed....