It's interesting if you read the books, during the second war, humans admire the high elves and value them as allies very closely. The elves are portrayed as arrogant, yet curteous. They tend to be very polite to humans outwardly, but think of them almost as children. They may have initially joined the Alliance during the Second War because of the Arathi bloodline, but their interest in the Alliance intensified when the Horde attacked Quel'thalas, stole one of their Cairn stones, and razed a good portion of their forest. Alleria in particular is portrayed for having a blood lust for orcs for a good while, seeking out vengence on the Horde.

This in my opinion, is one of the reasons why there is a split in the High Elves. After the events of the Third War, Kael'thas led his people to siphon magic from demons in an effort to stem the magic withdrawals caused by a now destroyed Sunwell. The Alliance was not comfortable with the Blood Elves using fel magic; almost all of their major threats could be linked to fel magic. With the Alliance shying away from the Blood Elves, the Sindorei turned to the Horde to seek protection from possible threats (as the elven population was almost wiped out by the Scourge).

Stop and think about how bold that is. The Highborn were exiled from Kalimdor after the sundering. Those that went East became the High Elves. Their history pitted them against demonic magic; indeed they helped create the initial Order of Tirisfal for the sole purpose of fighting demons. They wanted to be careful because of they essentially almost destroyed the world with demonic magic. So not only do the High Elves have a history of knowing better than to use demonic engergy, they were also attacked visiciously by the orcs and many still hold grudges on the orcs for the crimes committed during the Second War.

Most of the High Elves follow the path set out by their prince, Kael'thas. In an effort to survive they embrace using fel energy and join the Horde. Many continue to follow Kael'thas down his path of madness into Outland and into the service of demons. Many stay with the Horde. First, because they're not comfortable to sell out completely to the demons, then when the Horde aids them as Kael'thas himself attacks Quel'thalas, their loyality and appreciation for their new Allies grows. Some stay with the Alliance. Mostly the High Elves were in Alliance areas when Quel'thalas fell choose to stay with the Alliance. Those elves did not agree with using fel magic, and most of those also so no sense in joining what they believed the "savage and blood thirsty" Horde. As the two factions show in Dalaran, the High Elves still with the Alliance feel the Blood Elves betrayed their own society.

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