The Art of War

"To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.


Invincibility lies in the defense, the possibility of victory in the attack.


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; 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 the moods.



There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general:
1 Recklessness, which leads to destruction;
2 Cowardice, which leads to capture;
3 A hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults;
4 A delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;
5 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.



All armies prefer high ground to low and sunny places to dark.



When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.


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.




When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move, it is called temporising 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, when part of his army has come out, we may deliver our attack with advantage.



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 into death.



The skilful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the she-jan is a snake that is found in the Chung 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.



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 they achieve great results. Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army's ability to move."



in The Art of War by Sun Tzu