The Art of War — Sun Tzu

The Art of War

Sun Tzu · Licence: Public domain · Source

• 5. Maneuvering with an army is advantageous; with an undisciplined multitude, most dangerous. ¶435
• 6. If you set a fully equipped army in march in 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. ¶437
• 7. 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, ¶439
• 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. 8. 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. ¶441
• 9. If you march fifty LI in order to outmaneuver the enemy, you will lose the leader of your first division, and only half your force will reach the goal. ¶443
• 10. If you march thirty LI with the same object, two-thirds of your army will arrive. ¶445
• 11. 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. ¶447
• 15. In war, practice dissimulation, and you will succeed. ¶451
• 16. Whether to concentrate or to divide your troops, must be decided by circumstances. 17. Let your rapidity be that of the wind, ¶453
• your compactness that of the forest. ¶455
• 18. In raiding and plundering be like fire, ¶457
• in immovability like a mountain. ¶459
• 19. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. ¶461
• 20. When you plunder a countryside, let the spoil be divided amongst your men; ¶463
• when you capture new territory, cut it up into allotments for the benefit of the soldiery. ¶465
• 21. Ponder and deliberate before you make a move. ¶467
• 22. He will conquer who has learnt the artifice of deviation. ¶469
• Such is the art of maneuvering. ¶471
• 23. The Book of Army Management says: ¶473
• 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. 24. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and eyes of the host may be focused on one particular point. ¶477
• 25. The host thus forming a single united body, is it impossible either for the brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone. ¶479
• This is the art of handling large masses of men. 26. In night-fighting, then, make much 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. ¶481
• 27. A whole army may be robbed of its spirit; ¶483
• a commander-in-chief may be robbed of his presence of mind. ¶485
• 28. Now a soldier's spirit is keenest in the morning; ¶487
• Do not interfere with an army that is returning home. ¶491
• 36. When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. ¶493
• Do not press a desperate foe too hard. ¶495
• 37. Such is the art of warfare. ¶497
• ----------------------------------------------------------------- ¶500
• 1. Sun Tzu said: In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forces. ¶503
• 2. 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. ¶505
• In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem. In desperate position, you must fight. 3. There are roads which must not be followed, ¶507
• armies which must be not attacked, ¶509
• towns which must not be besieged, ¶511
• positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed. ¶513
• 4. The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops. 5. The general who does not understand these, may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account. ¶515
• 6. 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 the best use of his men. ¶517
• 7. Hence in the wise leader's plans, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together. ¶519
• 8. If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes. ¶521

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