Art of War

## Basic Info

Author: Sun Tzu

Original Language: Chinese

Written in: 5th century BCE

Translator: Lionel Giles

## I. Laying Plans

* There are five constant factors of war
	1. The Moral Law - Willingness to die for, fight for, and obey the ruler
	2. Heaven - Night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons
	3. Earth - Distances, narrow passes, open ground, danger and security
	4. The Commander - the wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and discipline of the commander
	5. Method and Discipline - Proper division of the army, promotion of officers, infrastructure, and control of military expenditures
* "All war is based on deception."
* "Hence when able to attack we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when near, we must make the enemy believe we are far; when far away, we must make him believe we are near."

## II. Waging War

* "Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy."

## III. Attack by Stratagem

* "It is better to recapture an entire army than to destroy it."
* "He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign."
* "He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight."

## IV. Tactical Dispositions

* "The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself."
* "One may know how to conquer without being able to do it."
* "The victorious strategist only seeks battle after victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory."

## V. Energy

* "The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men; it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers."
* "By holding out baits, he keeps him on the march; then with a body of picked men he lies in wait for him."

## VI. Weak Points and Strong

* "Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field has to hasten to battle and will arrive exhausted."
* "Do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory, but let your methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances."
* Five Chinese Elements
	1. Water
	2. Fire
	3. Wood
	4. Metal
	5. Earth

## VII. Maneuvering

* "In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed."
* "When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your men; when you capture new territory, cut it up into allotments for the benefit of the soldiery."
* "It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against an enemy, nor oppose him when he comes downhill."

## VIII. Variation in Tactics

* Five Dangerous Faults/Five Besetting Sins
	1. Recklessness
	2. Cowardice
	3. A Hasty Temper
	4. Delicacy of Honor
	5. Over-solicitude for his men (caring too much for one's soldiers)

## XI. The Army on the March

* "After crossing a river, you should get far away from it."
* "All armies prefer high ground to low"
* High column of dust - Vehicles; low column of dust - infantry
* "When soldiers are seen leaning on their spears, they are feint from want of food."

## X. Terrain

* Six Types of Terrain
	1. Accessible ground - Can be traversed by both sides
	2. Entangling ground - Can be abandoned but difficult to re-occupy
	3. Temporizing ground - Provides an disadvantage to the side that makes the first move
	4. Narrow passes - Provides an immense advantage to the first side to occupy
	5. Precipitous heights - Provides an immense advantage to the first side to occupy
	6. Positions of a great distance from the enemy - hard for a fight to be prevoked
* Six Calamities
	1. Fight: Bigger force --> Smaller Force
	2. Insubordination: Soldiers Strength > Officer Strength
	3. Collapse: Officer Strength > Soldier Strength
	4. Ruin: Higher officers are angry and insubordinate
	5. Disorganization: Lack of clear roles and commands
	6. Rout: Smaller Force --> Bigger Force
* "If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding.
* "The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom."
* "Regard you soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys; look upon them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death."
* "If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt."

## XI. The Nine Situations

* Nine Varieties of Ground
	1. Dispersive - One's own territory
	2. Facile - Enemy territory but near one's own borders
	3. Contentious - Advantage granting territory
	4. Open - Freedom of movement granted to both sides
	5. Ground of Intersecting Highways
	6. Serious - Ground deep in enemy territory where unconquered forts and cities remain in its rear
	7. Difficult - Marshes, rugged steeps, and mountain forests which are difficult to traverse
	8. Hemmed-in - Ground where a small army can easily push back much larger forces (think Thermopile)
	9. Desperate - Ground which can only re rescued by fighting without delay, i.e. where no escape is provided and a fight to the death is necessary by the defending forces
* "The further you penetrate into a country, the greater will be the solidarity of your troops, and thus the defenders will not prevail against you."
* "Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight."
* "Soldiers when in desperate straits will lose the sense of fear."
* "The principle on which to manage an army is to set up one standard of course all must reach."
* "It is the business of a general to be quiet and thus ensure secrecy; upright and just, and thus maintain order."

## XII. The Attack by Fire

* Don't let spontaneous thoughts or emotions, especially anger, govern your tactics. Your anger will fade eventually, but the destruction of your army or country will not fade,

## XIII. The Use of Spies

* Spies provide a very cost effective means of gaining strategic advantage and knowledge
* Types of spies
	1. Local Spies - Local inhabitants used as spies
	2. Inward Spies - Enemy officials are used as spies
	3. Converted Spies - Captured enemy spies turned against the enemy
	4. Doomed Spies - Spies who openly act to deceive the enemy
	5. Surviving Spies - Spies who bring back information from the enemy camp
* With regard for spies "none should be more liberally rewarded"