Book Report #41: The Art of War.
Begin: 7/30/2024
Finish: 8/10/2024
Title: The Art of War
Author: Sun Tzu
Why I choose to read this book:
To learn about the philosophies, techniques, preparations, laying plans, covert techniques about the Art of War.
What I learned from this book:
The Art of War is of vital importance to the state. It is a matter of life or death. It is governed by the five constant factors: 1) Moral Law, 2) Heaven, 3) Earth, 4) The commander, 5) Method and discipline.
The moral law cause the people to be in complete accord with the ruler.
Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.
The earth comprises of distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
The commander stands for virtues of wisdom, sincerely,benevolence, courage and strictness.
Method and discipline – marshalling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduation of rank among the officers, maintenance of road by which supplies reach the army, and control of military expenditure.
Laying Plans:
The general who wins battle make many calculations in his temple where 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 to defeat; how much move no calculations at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is going to win or lose.
Waging War:
There is no instance of a country have benefitted from prolonged warfare.
Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy. Thus the army will have food enough for its needs.
In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns.
Attack Stratagem:
Therefore the skillful leader subdue the enemy’s troops without any fighting; he captures their cities without laying siege to them; he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field.
Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
Tactical Dispositions:
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; Ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.
In respect of military methods we have:
1) Measurement – owes its existence to earth.
2) Estimation of quantity to measurement.
3) Calculation to estimation of quantity.
4) Balancing of chances to calculation.
5) Victory to balancing of chances.
The Army On the March:
Camp in high places, facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order to fight. So much for mountain warfare.
Moor your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun. No not move up-stream to meet the enemy. so much for river warfare.
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.
The rising birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.
Energy:
In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.
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 and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted. The clever combatant imposes his will on the enemy, he does not allow the enemy’s will be imposed on him.
In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can attain is to conceal them: Conceal you disposition, and you will be safe from the prying of the subtlest spies, from machinations of the wisest brains.
So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and to strike at what is weak.
Maneuvering:
Ponder and deliberate before you make a move. He will conquer who has learnt the artifice of deviation. Such is the art of maneuvering.
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.
Variation in Tactics:
The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.
The art of war teaches us to rely on the like hood of the enemy’s not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; Not on the chance of him not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.
Terrain:
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.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; If you know heaven and know earth, you may make your victory complete.
The Nine Situations:
Rapidity is the essence of war; Take advantage of the enemy’s unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.
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.
Attack By Fire:
There are five ways of attacking with fire: Burn soldiers in the camp, burn stores, burn baggage trains, burn arsenals and magazines and hurl fire droppings amongst the enemy.
The Use of Spies:
What enable the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge.
Hence it is only enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for purposes of spying and thereby they achieve great results. Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army’s ability to move.
How will this book contribute to my success upon release:
This book teaches us to think, plan ahead, know what you are dealing with, estimate probability, calculate estimations, balancing of chances to calculations and victory to balance of chances. These strategy will be used to survive while incarcerated and upon release. Upon Release the strategies will be deployed to ensure success inn my volunteer services and future business endeavors.
