Hiruzen led the village through three, possible 4 wars and 1 natural disaster. And it kept bouncing back stronger than before. No Hokage has done as much as him.
This is the most info we're given on who Orochimaru experimented on within Konoha and yes, it is a failing of Hiruzen's.. He should've fought and killed Orochimaru but couldn't get over his personal feelings at the time. Hashirama came from an era where most of his siblings died before he was ten, Hiruzen was born and raised in Konoha—so while a failing it is, comparing it to someone who was more accustom to family and close bonds dying is a little unfair.
The Uchiha fucked themselves. Plot a coup 7 years after war ends, the Kyuubi attacks and kills your Hokage and 4 years after you barely evade war with Kumogakure? What sensible person even negotiates with the Uchiha like Hiruzen did? They're a massive risk to the village—more than Orochimaru—and Danzo forced his hand on this because if you let the Uchiha Clan attempt their coup, Konoha is being invaded within the year.
This is the most info we're given on who Orochimaru experimented on within Konoha and yes, it is a failing of Hiruzen's.. He should've fought and killed Orochimaru but couldn't get over his personal feelings at the time. Hashirama came from an era where most of his siblings died before he was ten, Hiruzen was born and raised in Konoha—so while a failing it is, comparing it to someone who was more accustom to family and close bonds dying is a little unfair.
The Uchiha fucked themselves. Plot a coup 7 years after war ends, the Kyuubi attacks and kills your Hokage and 4 years after you barely evade war with Kumogakure? What sensible person even negotiates with the Uchiha like Hiruzen did? They're a massive risk to the village—more than Orochimaru—and Danzo forced his hand on this because if you let the Uchiha Clan attempt their coup, Konoha is being invaded within the year.
We have to weigh the negative and the positive
He led them through the wars while also leaving Naruto (the village Jinchuuriki) with nothing, letting Orochimaru get away with experimentation, and putting the village in jeopardy because of that decision (it also led to Sunagakure losing their Kage as well lol)
Danzo was forced to stand up and take action as Hiruzen was incapable of handling everything that was left to him (he stated this himself)
Hiruzen himself admits he made mistake after mistake as the Hokage. Now I'll cut him some slack since he was the Kage for much longer than everyone else but we have to call a spade a spade.
Now I'll kinda give you the Uchiha part now that I'm looking back at it. A lot of what happened IS partially their fault but letting Danzo move them away from their original position in the village was definitely a bad move. Which brings me back to the Danzo point
He needed a shadow Kage to maintain his rule. Others did not.. that's all I'm saying
