I’m sure that would have looked great to all the gathered men who were still alive.
“oh yeah, the elves showed up and one of them went up to the crack of doom with Isildur after his father died, and the elf came back alone and wouldn’t tell us what happened inside. Something’s fucky. We better prepare for an attack from the elves.”
Whether anyone actually threw hands immediately or not, men and elves would have a far shittier relationship after that.
The question is, did more suffering occur because Elrond didnt do this? We can’t know.
(but probably)
and the elf came back alone and wouldn’t tell us what happened inside
I mean he could just say a Balrog attacked them and Isildur died a hero.
A balrog? At this time of day? In this part of the country? Located entirely within the confines of the walkway leading from the crack of doom?
The minds of men are easily corrupted. Elrond could show video footage of everything that unfolded, and they’d still try to lynch him.
