The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

Tactical dispositions

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.

Maneuvering

We come now to the question of encamping the army, and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains, and keep in the neighborhood of valleys.

The Army on the March

The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious ground; (4) open ground; (5) ground of intersecting highways; (6) serious ground; (7) difficult ground; (8) hemmed-in ground; (9) desperate ground.

The Nine Situations

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.

Weak Points and Strong

The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: <ul><li class="ql-align-justify">it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.</li></ul>

Energy

We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit: (1) Accessible ground(2) entangling ground(3)temporizing ground4) narrow passes; (5) precipitousheights(6) positions at a great distance from the enemy.

Terrain

There are five ways of attacking with fire: <ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The first is to burn soldiers in their camp</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The second is to burn stores</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The third is to burn baggage trains</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy</li></ul>

The Attack by Fire

When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men’s weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.

Waging War

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 commotion at home and abroad, and men will drop down exhausted on the highways. As many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded in their labor.

The Use of Spies

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.

Attack by Stratagem

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.

Variation in Tactics

The Art of War is governed by five factors:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The Moral Law - following your leader regardless of their life</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Heaven - night/day, cold/heat, times and seasons</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Earth - distances great/small, danger/security</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The Commander - wisdom, courage, strictness, benevolence</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Method and Discipline - marshaling of army in proper subdivisions, ranks among officers</li></ul>By considering these factors, you can forecast your victory.

Laying Plans

"There's not a dated maxim or vague prescription in it." — Newsweek Regarded as the world's oldest military treatise, this compact volume has instructed officers and tacticians for more than 2,000 years. From its origins in China, The Art of War traveled the world to inform the strategies of Napoleon and World War II generals. More recently, it has taken on a new life as a guide to competing successfully in business, law, and sports. All of The Art of War's concepts retain their value to modern readers, from the prudence of circumventing a strong opponent and taking advantage of a weak one to the wisdom of preparedness and flexibility. Other topics include strategy, tactics, maneuvering, communications, the treatment of soldiers, and the worth of well-trained officers. History enthusiasts, business thought leaders, and anyone intrigued by competition and rivalry will appreciate this elegant edition of the classic work.

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Sun Tzu (孫子; pinyin: Sūnzǐ) is a honorific title bestowed upon Sūn Wu (孫武 c. 544-496 BC), the author of The Art of War (孫子兵法), an immensely influential ancient Chinese book on military strategy. Sun Tzu believed in the use of the military sciences to effect outcomes that would result in peace.In the author's name, Sūn Wu, the character wu, meaning "military", is the same as the character in wu shu, or martial art. Sun Wu also has a courtesy name, Chang Qing (Cháng Qīng).

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