One of the oldest warfare strategy manuals, written over 2,500 years ago.
Notable Excerpts
He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.
According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one’s plans.
…you must be guided by the actions of the enemy in attempting to secure a favorable position in actual warfare
All warfare is based on deception
Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.
Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.
If his forces are united, separate them. [Less plausible is the interpretation favored by most of the commentators: “If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them.”]
Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.
There is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare.
Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy.
Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards.
In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy’s country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good.
…supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
“The skillful employer of men will employ the wise man, the brave man, the covetous man, and the stupid man. For the wise man delights in establishing his merit, the brave man likes to show his courage in action, the covetous man is quick at seizing advantages, and the stupid man has no fear of death.”
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
[Chang Yu said: “Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive.” He adds: “Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.”
One may KNOW how to conquer without being able to DO it.
Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
…any attack or other operation is CHENG, on which the enemy has had his attention fixed; whereas that is CH’I,” which takes him by surprise or comes from an unexpected quarter. If the enemy perceives a movement which is meant to be CH’I,” it immediately becomes CHENG.”
…the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.
There are not more than five musical notes, yet the combinations of these five give rise to more melodies than can ever be heard.
Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
All armies prefer high ground to low.
If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then will be practically useless.
Therefore soldiers must be treated in the first instance with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline.
from Wei Liao Tzu, ch. 4: “The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts.” Vacillation and fussiness are the surest means of sapping the confidence of an army.]
Now an army is exposed to six several calamities, not arising from natural causes, but from faults for which the general is responsible. These are:
(1) Flight;
(2) insubordination;
(3) collapse;
(4) ruin;
(5) disorganization;
(6) rout.
Wu Tzu ch. 3: “the most fatal defect in a military leader is difference; the worst calamities that befall an army arise from hesitation.”
On desperate ground, fight.
He must be able to mystify his officers and men by false reports and appearances, [Literally, “to deceive their eyes and ears.”] and thus keep them in total ignorance.
Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.
Spies are a most important element in war, because on them depends an army’s ability to move.