Skyrim's books and dialogue say that the Empire withdrew troops from the provinces, particularly Morrowind, during the Oblivion Crisis in order to better protect the home front. This sounds reasonable, and a legitimate grievance for the Dunmer to hold agains them...

...except that it flat-out contradicts the events of Oblivion.

According to Chancellor Ocato: "Under normal circumstances, I would dispatch a legion or two to Bruma immediately... I've been pleading for troops for Cyrodiil for weeks, but the generals assure me that the entire Imperial Army is already fully committed. Besides... I'd have a full-scale political crisis on my hands if I tried to pull any troops out of the provinces. I'm sorry, but the cities of Cyrodiil will have to fend for themselves for the time being."

The last sentence is corroborated by Count Caro, who insists that "...the Elder Council cares nothing for Cyrodiil [and focuses] obsessively on the provinces, leaving us to fend for ourselves."

One could argue that the Imperial army, including troops pulled from the provinces, are committed to closing Oblivion Gates, but Ocato's account suggests that the Legionnaires who are closing gates are not from the provinces.

If Ocato succeeds at getting troops from the provinces, he only has the time span between the Defense of Bruma and Martin's shattering of the Amulet of Kings. Martin's sacrifice ends the Crisis, and the daedric hordes are no longer a threat. If the troops are withdrawn at that point, then it seems odd to hold it against them, since the daedric invasion force has vanished.

So how to reconcile these disparate accounts?

Honestly I think the books and dialog are just flat out lying, not really surprising considering pretty much everything we read or hear is heavily biased on either way, plus since it has been around 200 years and with the Great War a somewhat recent event people are very bitter.

I mean we were there in Cyrodiil, experiencing everything first hand, we had to gather the city guards because Ocato refused to pull any Legions from any province. Nothing beats actual first hand experience. At least this is what I think.

Whatever better fits your preferred Skyrim Civil War narrative

I'm kidding, I'm kidding.