Original subtitles

The Art of War by Sun Tzu 1.

Laying Plans Sun Tzu said, The art of war is of vital importance to the state.

It is a matter of life and death, a road to either safety or to ruin.

Hence, it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors.

to be taken into account in one's deliberations when seeking to determine

the conditions obtaining in the field.

These are 1.

The moral law, 2.

Heaven, 3.

Earth, 4.

The commander, 5.

Method and discipline.

The moral law causes people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so

that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.

Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.

Earth comprises distances great and small, danger and security, open ground

and narrow passes, and the chances of life and death.

The commander stands for the virtues of wisdom.

sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.

By method and discipline are to be understood the marshalling of the army

in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers,

the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the

control of military expenditure.

These five heads should be familiar to every general.

He who knows them will be victorious.

He who knows them not will fail.

Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military

conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison.

In this wise, which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law?

Which of the two generals has the most ability?

With whom lies the advantages derived from heaven and earth?

On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?

Which army is stronger?

on which side are officers and men more highly trained in which army is there

the greater constancy in both reward and punishment the general that hearkens to

my counsel and acts upon it will conquer let such a one be retained in command

the general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it will suffer

defeat let such a one be dismissed

While heading the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any helpful

circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules.

According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one's

plans.

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 that we are far away and when

far away we must make him believe that we are near hold out baits to entice the

enemy feign disorder and crush him if he is secure at all points be prepared for

him if he is superior in strength evade him if your opponent is of choleric

temper seek to irritate him pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.

If his forces are united, separate them.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged

beforehand.

Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the

battle is fought.

The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand.

Thus do many calculations lead to victory and few calculations lead to

defeat. How much more no calculation at all?

It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or

lose.

2.

Waging war.

Sun Tzu said, In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand

swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad

soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li, the

expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainment of guests, small

items such as glue and paint, and some spent on chariots and armor, will reach

the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day.

Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men.

When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's

weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be dampened.

If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

Again, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the state will not be

equal to the strain.

Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor dampened. your strength exhausted

and your treasure spent other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your

extremity then no man however wise will be able to avert the consequences that

must ensue thus though we have heard of stupid haste in war cleverness has never

been associated with long delays there is no instance of a country having

benefited from prolonged warfare

It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that

can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

The skillful soldier does not raise a second levy.

Neither are his supply wagons loaded more than twice.

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

Thus the army will have food enough for its needs.

Poverty of the state exchequer causes an army to be maintained by contributions

from a distance.

contributing to maintain an army at a distance causes the people to be

impoverished.

On the other hand the proximity of an army causes prices to go up and high

prices cause the people's substance to be drained away.

When their substance is drained away the peasantry will be afflicted by heavy

exactions. With this loss of substance and exhaustion of strength The homes of

the people will be stripped bare, and three-tenths of their income will be

dissipated, while government expenses for broken chariots, worn-out horses,

breastplates and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective

mantles, draft oxen and heavy wagons will amount to four-tenths of its total

revenue.

Hence, a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy.

One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own.

and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from

one's own store 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 therefore in chariot-fighting when ten or more chariots have been

taken those should be rewarded who took the first Our own flags should be

substituted for those of the enemy, and the chariots mingled and used in

conjunction with ours.

The captured soldiers should be treated kindly and kept.

This is called using the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.

In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.

Thus it may be known that the leader of armies is the arbiter of the people's

fate, the man on whom it depends whether the nation shall be in peace or in

peril. 3.

Attack by Stratagem Sun Tzu said, 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.

So too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it. To

capture a regiment, a detachment, or a company entire than to destroy them.

Hence, to fight and conquer in all of your battles is not supreme excellence.

Supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.

Thus, the highest form of generalship is to bulk the enemy's plans.

The next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces, the next in order

is to attack the enemy's army in the field, and the worst policy of all is to

besiege walled cities.

The rule is not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided.

The preparation of mantlets, movable shelters, and other various implements

of war will take up three whole months, and the piling up of mounds over and

against the walls will take three months more.

The general, unable to control his irritation, will launch his men to the

assault like swarming ants, with the result that one-third of his men are

slain, while the town remains untaken.

Such are the disastrous effects of a siege.

Therefore the skillful leader subdues the enemy troops without any fighting,

he captures their cities without laying siege to them, he overthrows their

kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.

With his forces intact, he will dispute the mastery of the empire, and thus,

without losing a man, his triumph will be complete.

This is the method of attacking by stratagem.

It is the rule in war if our forces are ten to the enemy's one to surround him.

If five to the enemy's one, attack him.

If twice as numerous, divide our army into two.

If equally matched, we can offer battle.

if slightly inferior in numbers we can avoid the enemy if quite unequal in

every way we can flee from him hence though an obstinate fight may be made by

a small force in the end it must be captured by the larger force now the

general is the bulwark of the state if the bulwark is complete at all points

the state will be strong if the bulwark is defensive the state will be weak

There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army.

1. By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact

that it cannot obey.

This is called hobbling the army.

2. By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a

kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army.

This causes restlessness in the soldiers' minds.

3. By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through

ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances, this shakes

the confidence of the soldiers.

But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to come

from other feudal princes.

This is simply bringing anarchy into the army, and flinging victory away.

Thus, we may know that there are five essentials for victory.

One, He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.

2. He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.

3. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its

ranks. 4.

He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.

5. He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the

sovereign. Hence the saying, if you know the enemy and you 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.

If you neither know the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every

battle.

4.

Tactical Dispositions Sun Tzu said, The good fighters of old put themselves

beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of

defeating the enemy.

To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of

defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make

certain of defeating the enemy.

Hence the saying, one may know how to conquer without being able to do it.

Security against defeat implies defensive tactics.

Ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.

Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength.

Attacking a superabundance of strength.

The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses of the

earth. He who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights

of heaven.

thus on one hand we have the ability to protect ourselves on the other a victory

that is complete to see victory only when it is within the ken of the common

herd is not the acme of excellence neither is it the acme of excellence

when you fight and conquer and the whole empire says well done to lift an autumn

hare is no sign of great strength

To see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight.

To hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but

excels in winning with ease.

hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for

courage he wins his battles by making no mistakes making no mistakes is what

establishes the certainty of victory for it means conquering an enemy that is

already defeated hence the skilful fighter puts himself into a position

which makes defeat seem impossible and does not miss the moment for defeating

the enemy

Thus it is in war that the victorious strategist seeks only battle after the

victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat fights first and

looks afterwards for victory.

The consummate leader cultivates the moral law and strictly adheres to method

and discipline.

Thus it is in his power to control success.

In respect of the military method, we have firstly measurement, secondly

estimation of quality, Thirdly, calculation.

Fourthly, balancing of chances.

Fifthly, victory.

Measurement owes its existence to earth, estimation of quality to measurement,

calculation to estimation of quality, balancing of chances to calculation, and

victory to balancing of chances.

A victorious army opposed to a routed one is a pound's weight placed on the

scale against a single grain.

The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a

chasm a thousand fathoms deep.

5. Energy Sun Tzu said, 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.

Fighting with a large army under your command is no wise different from

fighting with a small one.

It is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.

To ensure that your whole host may withstand the brunt of an enemy's attack

and remain unshaken, this is effected by maneuvers, direct and indirect.

That the impact of your army may be like a grindstone dashed against an egg, this

is effected by the science of weak points and strong.

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle.

but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory indirect tactics

efficiently applied are inexhaustible as heaven and earth unending as the flow of

rivers and streams like the sun and moon they end but to begin anew like the four

seasons they pass away to return once more There are not more than five

musical notes, yet the combination of these five give rise to more melodies

than can ever be heard.

There are not more than five primary colors, blue, yellow, red, white, and

black, yet in any combination they produce more hues than can ever be seen.

There are not more than five cardinal tastes, sour, acrid, salt, sweet, and

bitter, yet combinations of them yield more flavors than can ever be tasted.

In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack, the direct and the

indirect, yet these two in combination can give rise to an endless series of

maneuvers.

The direct and indirect lead on to each other in turn.

It is like moving in a circle, you never come to an end.

Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?

The onset of troops is like the rush of a torrent, which will even roll stones

along in its course.

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon, which

enables it to strike and destroy its victim.

Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset and prompt in his

decision. Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow, decision to the

releasing of a trigger.

Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be seeming disorder, and yet

no real disorder at all.

Amid confusion and chaos your array may be without head or tail, yet it will be

proof against defeat.

Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline.

Simulated fear postulates courage.

Simulated weakness postulates strength.

Hiding order beneath the cloak of disorder is simply a question of

subdivision. Concealing courage under a show of timidity

presupposes a fund of latent energy.

Masking strength with weakness is to be affected by tactical dispositions.

Thus, one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on the move maintains deceitful

appearances according to which the enemy will act.

He sacrifices something that the enemy may snatch at it.

By holding out baits, he keeps him on the march.

Then with a body of picked men, he lies in wait for him.

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require

too much from individuals, hence his ability to pick out the right men and

utilize combined energy.

When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become, as it were, like

unto rolling stones or logs, for it is the nature of a log or stone to remain

motionless on level ground, and to move one on a slope.

If four-cornered, it will come to a standstill.

but if round-shaped it will go rolling down.

Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is as the momentum of a

round stone rolled down a mountain thousands of feet in height.

So much on the subject of energy.

6. Weak Points and Strong Sun Tzu said, 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 and has to hasten to battle will arrive

exhausted.

Therefore, the clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, but does not

allow the enemy's will to be imposed on him.

By holding out advantages to him, he can cause the enemy to approach of his own

accord, or by inflicting damage, he can make it impossible for the enemy to draw

near.

If the enemy is taking his ease, he can harass him.

If well supplied with food, he can starve him out.

If quietly encamped, he can force him to move.

Appear at points which the enemy must hasten to defend.

March swiftly to places where you are not expected.

An army may march great distances without distress if it marches through

the country where the enemy is not.

You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if you only attack places which

are undefended.

You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that

cannot be attacked.

Hence, the 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. O divine art of subtlety and secrecy!

Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible, and hence we can

hold the enemy's fate in our hands.

You may advance and be absolutely irresistible if you make for the enemy's

weak points.

You may retire and be safe from pursuit if your movements are more rapid than

those of the enemy.

If we wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the

lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground.

All we need to do is throw something odd and accountable in his way.

By discovering the enemy's dispositions and remaining invisible ourselves, we

can keep our forces concentrated while the enemy's must be divided.

We can form a single united body while the enemy must split his up into

fractions.

Hence there will be a hole pitted against separate parts of a hole, which

means that we shall be many to the enemy's few.

And if we are able thus to attack an inferior force with a superior one, our

opponents will be in dire straits.

The spots where we intend to fight must not be made known, for then the enemy

will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points.

And if his forces being thus distributed in many directions, the numbers we shall

have to face at any given point will be proportionally few.

For should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear. Should he

strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van.

Should he strengthen his left, he will weaken his right. Should he strengthen

his right, he will weaken his left.

If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

Numerical weakness comes from having to prepare against possible attacks.

Numerical strength from compelling our adversary to make these preparations

against us.

knowing the place and time of the coming battle we may concentrate from the

greatest distances in order to fight but if neither the time nor the place be

known then the left wing will be impotent to succour the right and the

right equally impotent to succour the left the van unable to relieve the rear

or the rear unable to support the van how much more so if the furthest

portions of the army are anything under a hundred lee apart

and even the nearest are separated by several lee though according to my

estimate the soldiers of yu hei exceed our own in number that shall advantage

them nothing in the matter of victory i say then that victory can be achieved

though the enemy be stronger in numbers we may prevent him from fighting scheme

so as to discover his plans and the likelihood of their success

Rouse him and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity.

Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots.

Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where the

strength is superabundant and where it is deficient.

In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can attain is to

conceal them.

conceal your dispositions and you will be safe from the prying of the subtlest

spies from the machinations of the wisest brains how victory may be

produced for them out of the enemy's own tactics that is what the multitude

cannot comprehend all men can see the tactics whereby i conquer but what none

can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved

do not repeat the tactics which have gained you one victory but let your

methods be regulated by the infinite variety of circumstances military

tactics are like unto water for water in its natural course runs away from high

places and hastens downwards so in war the way is to avoid what is strong and

to strike at what is weak

water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows

the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing

therefore just as water retains no constant shape so in warfare there are

no constant conditions he who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent

and thereby succeed in winning may be called a heaven-born captain

the five elements water fire wood metal and earth are not always equally

predominant the four seasons make way for each other in turn there are short

days and long the moon has its periods of waning and waxing seven

maneuvering sun tzu said in war the general receives his commands from the

sovereign having collected an army and concentrated his forces he must blend

and harmonize the different elements thereof before pitching his camp after

that comes tactical maneuvering than which there is nothing more difficult

the difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the

direct and misfortune into gain thus to take a long and circuitous route after

enticing the enemy out of the way and those starting after him, to contrive to

reach the goal before him, shows knowledge of the artifice of deviation.

Maneuvering with an army is advantageous, with an undisciplined

multitude most dangerous.

If you set a fully equipped army in marching order to snatch an advantage,

the chances are that you will be too late.

On the other hand, to detach a flying column for the purpose involves the

sacrifice of its baggage and stores.

Thus, if you order your men to roll up their buff coats and make forced marches

without halting day or night, covering double the usual distance at a stretch,

doing a hundred li in order to wrest an advantage, the leaders of all your three

divisions will fall into the hands of the enemy.

The stronger men will be in front.

the jaded ones will fall behind, and on this plan only one-tenth of your army

will reach its destination.

If you march fifty li in order to outmaneuver your enemy, you will lose

the leader of your first division, and only half of your force will reach the

goal. If you march thirty li with the same object, two-thirds of your army

will arrive.

We may take it, then, that an army without its baggage train is lost,

without provisions it is lost, without bases of supply...

it is lost we cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with

the designs of our neighbors we are not fit to lead an army on the march unless

we are familiar with the face of the country its mountains and forests its

pitfalls and precipices its marshes and swamps we shall be unable to turn

natural advantage to account unless we make use of local guides in war practise

dissimulation and you will succeed

Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops must be decided by circumstances.

Let your rapidity be that of the wind, your compactness that of the forest.

In raiding and plundering be like fire, is immovability like a mountain.

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a

thunderbolt.

When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your men.

when you capture a new territory cut it up into allotments for the benefit of

the soldiery ponder and deliberate before you make a move he will conquer

who has learnt the artifice of deviation such is the art of manoeuvring the book

of army management says on the field of battle the spoken word does not carry

far enough hence the institution of gongs and drums

nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly enough hence the institution of banners

and flags gongs and drums banners and flags are means whereby the eyes and

ears of the host may be focused on one particular point the host thus forming a

single united body it is impossible either for the brave to advance alone or

the cowardly to retreat alone this is the art of handling large masses of men

in night fighting then make such use of signal fires and drums and in fighting

by day of flags and banners as a means of influencing the ears and eyes of your

army a whole army may be robbed of its spirit a commander-in-chief may be

robbed of his presence of mind now a soldier's spirit is keenest in the

morning by noonday it has begun to flag and in the evening his mind is bent only

on returning to camp

a clever general therefore avoids an army when its spirit is keen but attacks

it when it is sluggish and inclined to return this is the art of studying moods

disciplined and calm to wait the appearance of disorder and hubbub

amongst the enemy this is the art of retaining self-possession

To be near the goal while the enemy is still far from it, to wait at ease while

the enemy is toiling and struggling, to be well fed while the enemy is famished,

this is the art of husbanding one's strength.

To refrain from intercepting an enemy whose banners are in perfect order, to

refrain from attacking an army drawn up in calm and confident array, this is the

art of studying circumstances.

It is a military axiom not to advance uphill against the enemy, nor to oppose

him when he comes downhill.

Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight.

Do not attack soldiers whose temper is keen.

Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy.

Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.

When you surround an army, leave it an outlet free.

Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

such is the art of warfare eight variation in tactics sun

tzu said in war the general receives his commands from the sovereign and collects

his army and concentrates his forces when in difficult country do not encamp

in country where high roads intersect Join hands with your allies.

Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions.

In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem.

In desperate position, you must fight.

There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be

attacked, towns which must be besieged, positions which must not be contested,

commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation

of tactics knows how to handle his troops.

The general who does not understand these may well be acquainted with the

configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge

to practical account.

So, the student of war who is unversed in the art of war, of varying his plans,

even though he be acquainted with the five advantages, will fail to make best

use of his men.

Hence, in the wise leader's plans, considerations of advantage and of

disadvantage will be blended together.

If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in

accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.

If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to

seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune, reduce the

hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them, and make trouble for them. and

keep them constantly engaged, hold out specious allurements and make them rush

to any given point.

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not

coming, but on our own readiness to receive him, not on the chance of his

not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position

unassailable. There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general.

1. recklessness which leads to destruction two cowardice which leads to

capture three a hasty temper which can be provoked by insults four a

delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame five over solicitude for his men

which exposes him to worry and trouble these are the five besetting sins of a

general ruinous to the conduct of war

when an army is overthrown and its leader slain the cause will surely be

found amongst these five dangerous faults let them be a subject of

meditation nine the army on the march sun tzu said we come now to the

question of encamping the army and observing the signs of the enemy pass

quickly over mountains and keep in the neighbourhood of valleys camp in high

places facing the sun do not climb heights in order to fight, so much for

mountain warfare.

After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.

When an invading force crosses a river on its onward march, do not advance to

meet it midstream.

It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.

If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river

which he has to cross.

Maw your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun do not move upstream

to meet the enemy so much for river warfare in crossing salt marshes your

sole concern should be to get over them quickly without any delay if forced to

fight in a salt marsh you should have water and grass near you and your back

to a clump of trees so much for operations in salt marshes In dry, level

country, take up an easily accessible position with rising ground to your

right and on your rear, so that the danger may be in front and safety lie

behind. So much for campaigning in flat country.

These are the four useful branches of military knowledge which enabled the

Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns. All armies prefer high

ground to low and sunny places to dark.

If you are careful of your men, and camp on hard ground, the army will be free

from disease of every kind, and this will spell victory.

When you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the sunny side, with the slope on

your right rear.

Thus you will at once act for the benefit of your soldiers, and utilize

the natural advantages of the ground.

When, in consequence of heavy rains up country, a river you wish to ford is

swollen and flecked with foam, you must wait until it subsides country in which

there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running between deep natural

hollows confined places tangled thickets quagmires and crevasses should be left

with all possible speed and not approached while we keep away from such

places we should get the enemy to approach them while we face them we

should let the enemy have them on his rear

If in the neighborhood of your camp there should be any hilly country, ponds

surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with reeds or woods with

thick undergrowth, they must be carefully routed out and searched, for

these are places where men in ambush or insidious spies are likely to be

lurking.

When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on the

natural strength of his position.

When he keeps aloof and tries to provoke a battle, he is anxious for the other

side to advance.

If his place of encampment is easy of access, he is tendering a bait.

Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy is advancing.

An appearance of a number of screens in the midst of thick grass means that the

enemy wants to make us suspicious.

The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade.

Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.

When there is dust rising in a column, it is the sign of chariots advancing.

When the dust is low but spread over a wide area, it betokens the approach of

infantry.

When it branches out in several different directions, it shows that

parties have been sent to collect firewood.

A few clouds of dust moving to and fro signify that the army is encamping.

Humble words and increased preparations are the signs that the enemy is about to

advance.

Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will

retreat.

When the light chariots come out first and take up a position on the wings, it

is a sign that the enemy is forming for battle.

Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot.

When there is much running about and soldiers fall into rank it means that

the critical moment has come.

When some are seen advancing and some retreating it is a lure.

When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears they are faint from want of food.

If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking themselves the army is

suffering from thirst.

If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no effort to secure it

the soldiers are exhausted.

If birds gather on any spot, it is unoccupied.

Clamor by night betokens nervousness.

If there is a disturbance in the camp, the general's authority is weak.

If the banners and flags are shifted about, sedition is afoot.

If the officers are angry, it means that the men are weary.

When an army feeds its horses with grain, and kills its cattle for food and

when the men do not hang their cooking pots over the camp-fires showing that

they will not return to their tents you may know that they are determined to

fight to the death the sight of men whispering together in small knots or

speaking in subdued tones points to dissatisfaction amongst the rank and

file

Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of his resources.

Too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.

To begin by bluster but to afterwards take fright at the enemy's numbers shows

a supreme lack of intelligence.

When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the

enemy wishes for a truce.

If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain facing ours for a long time

without either joining battle or taking themselves off again, the situation is

one that demands great vigilance and circumspection.

If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply sufficient.

It only means that no direct attack can be made.

What we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength, keep a close

watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.

He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents is sure to

be captured by them.

If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you, they will

not prove submissive, and unless submissive, then will be practically

useless.

If, when the soldiers have become attached to you, punishments are not

enforced, they will still be useless.

Therefore, soldiers must be treated in the first instance with humanity, but

kept under control by means of iron discipline.

This is a certain road to victory.

If in training soldiers' commands are habitually enforced, the army will be

well disciplined.

If not, its discipline will be bad.

If a general shows confidence in his men, but always insists on his orders

being obeyed, the gain will be mutual.

10. Terrain.

Sun Tzu said, we may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit, one,

accessible ground, two, entangling ground, three, temporizing ground, four,

narrow passes, five, precipitous heights, six, positions at great

distance from the enemy.

Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible.

With regard to ground of this nature, Be before the enemy in occupying the raised

and sunny spots, and carefully guard your line of supplies, then you will be

able to fight with advantage.

Ground which can be abandoned but is hard to reoccupy is called entangling.

From a position of this sort, if the enemy is unprepared, you may sally forth

and defeat him, but if the enemy is prepared for your coming and you fail to

defeat him, then return being impossible, disaster will ensue.

when the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move

it is called temporizing ground in a position of this sort even though the

enemy should offer us an attractive bait it will be advisable not to stir forth

but rather to retreat thus enticing the enemy in his turn then when part of his

army has come out we may deliver our attack with advantage

With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly

garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

Should the army forestall you in occupying a pass, do not go after him if

the pass is fully garrisoned, but only if it is weakly garrisoned.

With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary,

you should occupy the raised and sunny spots and wait for him to come up.

If the enemy has occupied them before you, Do not follow him, but retreat and

try to entice him away.

If you are situated at a great distance from the enemy, and the strength of the

two armies is equal, it is not easy to provoke a battle, and the fighting will

be to your disadvantage.

These are the six principles connected with the earth.

The general who has attained a responsible post must be careful to

study them.

Now an army is exposed to six several calamities.

not arising from natural causes but from the faults from which the general is

responsible these are one flight two insubordination three collapse

four ruin five disorganization and six rout other conditions

being equal if one force is hurled against another ten times its size the

result will be the flight of the former

When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result

is insubordination.

When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is

collapse.

When the higher officers are angry and insubordinate, and on meeting the enemy

give battle on their own account from a feeling of resentment, before the

commander-in-chief can tell whether or no he is in a position to fight, the

result is ruin.

when the general is weak and without authority when his orders are not clear

and distinct when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men and

the ranks are formed in a slovenly and haphazard manner the result is utter

disorganization when a general unable to estimate the enemy's strength allows an

inferior force to engage a larger one or hurls a weak detachment against a

powerful one and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank the

result must be a rout.

These are the six ways of courting defeat, which must be carefully noted by

the general who has attained a responsible post.

The natural formation of the country is the soldier's best ally, but a power of

estimating the adversary, of controlling the forces of victory, and of shrewdly

calculating the difficulties, dangers, and distances constitutes the great test

of a general.

he who knows these things and in fighting puts his knowledge into

practice will win his battles he who knows them not nor practises them will

surely be defeated if fighting is so 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 your 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 however if you are

indulgent but unable to make your authority felt kind-hearted but unable

to enforce your commands and incapable moreover of quelling disorder, then your

soldiers must be likened to spoilt children.

They are useless for any practical purpose.

If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware

that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory.

If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men

are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory.

if we know that the enemy is open to attack and we also know that our men are

in a condition to attack but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes

fighting impracticable we have still only gone half-way towards victory hence

the experienced soldier in one motion is never bewildered once he has broken camp

he is never at a loss hence the saying if you know your enemy and you know

yourself your victory will not stand in doubt

If you know heaven and you know earth, you may make your victory complete.

11. The Nine Situations Sun Tzu said,

hemmed in ground and nine desperate ground when a chieftain is fighting in

his own territory it is dispersive ground when he is penetrated into

hostile territory but to no great distance it is facile ground ground the

possession of which imports great advantage to either side it is

contentious ground ground on which either side has liberty of movement is

open ground

ground which forms the key to three contiguous states, so that he who

occupies it first has the most of the empire at his command, is a ground of

intersecting highways.

When an army has penetrated into the heart of a hostile country, leaving a

number of fortified cities in its rear, it is serious ground.

Mountain forests, rugged steeps, marshes and fens, all country that is hard to

traverse, this is difficult ground.

ground which has reached through narrow gorges and from which we can only retire

by tortuous paths so that a small number of the enemy would suffice to crush a

large body of our men this is hemmed-in ground ground on which we can only be

saved from destruction by fighting without delay is desperate ground on

dispersive ground therefore fight not on facile ground halt not

On contentious ground, attack not.

On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way.

On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies.

On serious ground, gather in plunder.

On difficult ground, keep steadily on the march.

On hemmed in ground, resort to stratagem.

On desperate ground, fight.

those who were called skilful leaders of old knew how to drive a wedge between

the enemy's front and rear to prevent co-operation between his large and small

divisions to hinder the good troops from rescuing the bad from the officers from

rallying their men when the enemy's men were united they managed to keep them in

disorder when it was to their advantage they made a forward move when otherwise

they stopped still

if asked how to cope with a great host of the enemy in orderly array and on the

point of marching to the attack i should say begin by seizing something which

your opponent holds dear then he will be amenable to your will rapidity is the

essence of war take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness make your way by

unexpected routes and attack unguarded spots

The following are the principles to be observed by an invading force.

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.

Make forays into fertile country in order to supply your army with food.

Carefully study the well-being of your men and do not overtax them.

Concentrate your energy and hoard your strength.

Keep your army continually on the move and devise unfathomable plans.

throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape and they will

prefer death to flight if they will face death there is nothing that they may not

achieve officers and men alike will put forth their utmost strength

soldiers when in desperate straits lose the sense of fear if there is no place

of refuge they will stand firm if they are in hostile country they will show a

stubborn front for if there is no help for it they will fight hard.

Thus, without waiting to be marshaled, the soldiers will constantly be on the

qui vive.

Without waiting to be asked, they will do your will. Without restrictions, they

will be faithful.

Without giving orders, they can be trusted.

Prohibit the taking of omens, and do away with superstitious doubts.

Then, until death itself comes, no calamity need be feared.

If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have

a distaste for riches.

If their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to

longevity.

On the day they are ordered out to battle, your soldiers may weep, those

sitting up bedewing their garments, and those lying down letting the tears run

down their cheeks.

But let them once be brought to bay, and they will display the courage of a chew

or a cue.

The skillful tactician may be likened to the Shuai Wan.

Now the Shuai Wan is a snake that is found amongst the Chuang Mountains.

Strike at its head and you will be attacked by its tail.

Strike at its tail and you will be attacked by its head.

Strike at its middle and you will be attacked by head and tail both.

Asked if an army can be made to imitate the Shuai Wan, I should answer yes, for

the men of Wu and the men of Ye are enemies.

Yet if they are crossing a river in the same boat and are caught by a storm,

they will come to each other's assistance, just as the left hand helps

the right.

Hence it is not enough to put one's trust in the tethering of horses and the

burying of chariot wheels into the ground.

The principle on which to manage an army is to set up one standard of courage

which all must reach.

How to make the best of both strong and weak, that is a question involving the

proper use of ground.

thus the skilful general conducts his army just as though he were leading a

single man willy-nilly by the hand it is the business of a general to be quiet

and thus ensure secrecy upright and just and thus maintain order he must be able

to mystify his officers and men by false reports and appearances and thus keep

them in total ignorance by altering his arrangements and changing his plans he

keeps the enemy without definite knowledge By shifting his camp and

taking circuitous routes, he prevents the enemy from anticipating his purpose.

But at the critical moment, the leader of an army acts like one who has climbed

up a height and then kicks away the ladder behind him.

He carries his men deep into hostile territory before he shows his hand.

He burns his boats and breaks his cooking pots like a shepherd driving a

flock of sheep.

He drives his men this way and that, and knows nothing whether he is going.

To muster his host and bring it into danger, this may be termed the business

of a general.

The different measures suited to the nine varieties of ground, the expediency

of aggressive or defensive tactics, the fundamental laws of human nature, these

are the things that must most certainly be studied.

When invading hostile territory, the general principle is that penetrating

deeply brings cohesion.

but penetrating but a short way means dispersion.

When you leave your own country behind and take your army across neighborhood

territory, you find yourself on critical ground.

When there are means of communication on all four sides, the ground is one of

intersecting highways.

When you penetrate deeply into a country, it is serious ground, but when

you penetrate a little way, it is facile ground.

When you have the enemy strongholds on your rear and narrow passes in front, it

is hemmed-in ground. Where there is no place of refuge at all, it is desperate

ground. Therefore, on dispersive ground, I would inspire my men with unity of

purpose. On facile ground, I would see to it that there is close connection

between all parts of my army.

On contentious ground, I would hurry up my rear.

On open ground, I would keep a vigilant eye on my defenses.

On ground of intersecting highways I would consolidate my alliances.

On serious ground I would try to ensure a continuous stream of supplies.

On difficult ground I would keep pushing along the road.

On hemmed-in ground I would block any way of retreat.

On desperate ground I would proclaim to my soldiers the hopelessness of saving

their lives.

For it is the soldier's disposition to offer an obstinate resistance when

surrounded, to fight hard when he cannot help himself, and to obey promptly when

he has fallen into danger.

We cannot enter into an alliance with neighboring princes until we are

acquainted with their designs.

We are not fit to lead an army on the march unless we are familiar with the

face of the country, its mountains and forests, its pitfalls and precipices,

its marshes and swamps.

We should be unable to turn natural advantages to account unless we make use

of local guides.

To be ignored in any one of the following four or five principles does

not befit a warlike prince.

When a warlike prince attacks a powerful state, his generalship shows itself in

preventing the concentration of the enemy's forces.

He overawes his opponents, and their allies are prevented from joining

against him.

hence he does not strive to ally himself with all and sundry nor does he foster

the power of other states he carries out his own secret designs keeping his

antagonists in awe thus he is able to capture their cities and overthrow their

kingdoms bestow rewards without regard to rule issue orders without regard to

previous arrangements and you will be able to handle a whole army as though

you had to do but a single man

confront your soldiers with the deed itself never let them know your design

when the outlook is bright bring it before their eyes but tell them nothing

when the situation is gloomy place your army in deadly peril and it will survive

plunge it into desperate straits and it will come off in safety for it is

precisely when a force has fallen into harm's way that it is capable of

striking a blow for victory

Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the

enemy's purpose.

By persistently hanging on the enemy's flank, we shall succeed in the long run

in killing the commander-in-chief.

This is called ability to accomplish a thing by sheer cunning.

On the day that you take up your command, block the frontier passes,

destroy the official tallies, and stop the passage of all emissaries.

Be stern in the council chamber so that you may control the situation.

If the enemy leaves a door open, you must rush in.

Forstall your opponents by seizing what he holds dear, and subtly contrive to

time his arrival on the ground.

Walk in the path defined by rule, and accommodate yourself to the enemy until

you can fight a decisive battle.

At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden until the enemy gives you an

opening. Afterwards, emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it would

be too late for the enemy to oppose you.

12. Attack by fire.

Sun Tzu said, There are five ways of attacking with fire.

The first is to burn soldiers in their camp. The second is to burn stores.

The third is to burn baggage trains.

The fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines.

The fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy.

In order to carry out an attack, we must have means available.

The material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness.

There is a proper season for making attacks with fire, and special days for

starting a conflagration.

The proper season is when the weather is very dry.

The special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the sieve,

the wall, the wing, or the crossbar, for these four days are all of rising wind.

In attacking with fire, one should be prepared to meet the five possible

developments.

1. When a fire breaks out inside to an enemy's camp, respond at once with an

attack from without.

2. If there is an outbreak of fire but the enemy's soldiers remain quiet, bide

your time and do not attack.

3. When the force of the flames has reached its height, follow it up with an

attack. If that is practicable, if not, stay where you are.

4. If it is possible to make an assault with fire from without, do not wait for

it to break out from within, but deliver your attack at a favorable moment.

5. When you start a fire, be windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward.

A wind that rises in the daytime lasts long, but a night breeze soon falls.

In every army, five developments connected with fire must be known.

the movement of the stars calculated and a watch kept for the proper days hence

those who use fire as an aid to the attack show intelligence those who use

water as an aid to the attack gain an accession of strength by means of water

an enemy may be intercepted but not robbed of all his belongings

Unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his

attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise, for the result is a waste

of time and general stagnation.

Hence the saying, the enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead, the good

general cultivates his resources.

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.

No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen.

No general should fight a battle simply out of pique.

If it is to your advantage, make a forward move.

If not, stay where you are.

Anger may in time change to gladness.

Vexation may be succeeded by content.

But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never again come into

being, nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.

hence the enlightened ruler is heedful and the good general full of caution

this is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact thirteen the

use of spies sun tzu said raising a host of a hundred thousand men and marching

them great distances entails heavy loss on the people and a drain on the

resources of the state the daily expenditure will amount to a thousand

ounces of silver There will be a commotion at home and abroad, and men

will drop down exhausted on the highways.

As many as 700,000 families will be impeded in their labor.

Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is

decided in a single day.

This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition, simply because

one grudges the outlay of a few hundred ounces of silver in honours and

emoluments is the height of inhumanity.

One who acts thus is no leader of men, no present help to his sovereign, and no

master of victory.

Thus what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer

and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men is foreknowledge.

Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits, it cannot be

obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation.

Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.

Hence the use of spies, who there are five classes.

1. Local spies 2.

Inward spies 3. Converted spies 4. Doomed spies 5.

Surviving spies

When these five kinds of spy are all at work, none can discover the secret

system. This is what is called divine manipulation of the threads.

It is the sovereign's most precious faculty.

Having local spies means employing the services of inhabitants of a district.

Having inward spies, making use of the officials of the enemy.

Having converted spies, getting hold of the enemy spies and using them for our

own purposes.

having doomed spies, doing certain things openly for purposes of deception,

and allowing our spies to know of them and report them to the enemy.

Surviving spies are finally those who bring back news from the enemy's camp.

Hence it is that which none in the whole army are more intimate relations to be

maintained than with spies.

None should be more liberally rewarded.

In no other business should greater secrecy be preserved.

Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.

They cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness.

Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain the truth of their

reports. Be subtle, be subtle, and use your spies for every kind of business.

If a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe, he must

be put to death together with the man to whom the secret was told.

Whether the object be to crush an army, to storm a city, or to assassinate an

individual, it is always necessary to begin by finding out the names of the

attendants, the aides-de-camp, the doorkeepers, and sentries of the general

in command.

Our spies must be commissioned to ascertain these.

the enemy spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out tempted with

bribes led away and comfortably housed thus they will become converted spies

and available for our service it is through the information brought by the

converted spy that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward

spies it is owing to his information again that we can cause the doomed spy

to carry false tidings to the enemy lastly it is by his information that the

surviving spy can be used on appointed occasions the end and aim of all spying

in its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy and this knowledge can only be

derived in the first instance from the converted spy hence it is essential that

the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality of old the rise of the

yin dynasty was due to ai chi who had served under hisa likewise the rise of

the chu dynasty was due to lu ya who had served under yin hence it is only the

enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of

the army for purposes of spying and thereby achieve great results spies are

a most important element in water because on them depends an army's

ability to move