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The Art of War (Sunzi bingfa) is a 5th-century BCE military treatise written by the Chinese strategist Sun-Tzu (aka Sunzi or Sun Wu). Covering all aspects of warfare, it seeks to advise commanders on how to prepare, mobilise, attack, defend, and treat the vanquished.
What is the main idea of the art of war?
Probably the most important point of “The Art of War” tries to make is that information does matter, and an educated guess is better than a gut decision. Sun Tzu thought that generals should be adept at the “military calculus” of taking into account anything and everything that could affect the outcome of a battle.
What is the lesson from the art of war?
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.
What can we learn from Sun Tzu’s Art of War?
THE BOTTOM LINE If you know the enemy and 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 know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
What are the 9 principles of war?
The author specifies that there are nine principles of war—an objective, mass, offensive, unity of command, simplicity, the economy of force, maneuver, security, and surprise.
Why is the art of war so important?
The Art of War has remained relevant over the years because it is about strategy and tactics rather than specific warfare technology. It has influenced leaders all over the world, not only in warfare but in many areas of life, including business.
What is the first rule in the art of war?
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 we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.
What is Sun Tzu principles war?
Sun Tzu advocates that the highest realisation of warfare is attacking the enemy’s plans, next is to disrupt alliances, then to attack their army, and last is to attack cities, which must be pursued as a last resort [III:3].
Is art of war a good read?
The Art of War is arguably the ‘best’ insofar as it’s probably the easiest ‘way in’ about military strategy — and gets more difficult each time we read it. It’s composed and structured in a way that allows our interpretation of it to have freedom of manoeuvre, let’s put it that way.
Was Sun Tzu a real person?
Sun Tzu is revered in Chinese and East Asian culture as a legendary historical and military figure. His birth name was Sun Wu (Chinese: 孫武) and he was known outside of his family by his courtesy name Changqing (Chinese: 長卿).
What does Sun Tzu mean by heaven?
Sun Tzu said: “Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.” The “heaven” principle is proposed in a non-religious context. In ancient China as now, Sun Tzu’s “heaven” represents both consistent and variable change throughout space and time.
What are the ten principles of war?
principles of war – Selection and maintenance of the aim; maintenance of morale; offensive action; surprise; security; concentration of force; economy of effort; flexibility; co-operation; and administration. These principles are not listed in any order of importance.
What does the art of war mean in Battleship?
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting. Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting. Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
What are the 5 laws of war?
Military necessity, along with distinction, proportionality, humanity (sometimes called unnecessary suffering), and honor (sometimes called chivalry) are the five most commonly cited principles of international humanitarian law governing the legal use of force in an armed conflict.
Who said know your enemy?
As it happens, the phrase “know thy enemy” isn’t in our Holy Quran, but it comes from the ancient Chinese general Sun Tzu. The full quote goes like this: “Know thy enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles, you will never be defeated.
Did Sun Tzu ever lose a battle?
When he did fight, he understood warfare better than most of his opponents. Sun Tzu learned to win battles with the least loss of his own men. Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Sima Qian wrote that in his nearly 40-years as a general, Sun Tzu never lost a battle, a campaign or a war.
What is the best book of art of war?
Learn the strategy and philosophy of China’s most celebrated military theorist with this highly readable and informative edition of The Art of War. The Art of War by Sun Tzu is the best known and most highly regarded book on military strategy ever written.
Who was the greatest military strategist in history?
The Top 20 Military Strategists Of All Time 8: Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. 7: Julius Caesar. 6: Erich von Manstein. 5: Erwin Rommel. 4: Sun Tzu. 3: Alexander The Great. 2: Napoleon Bonaparte. 1: Hannibal Barca. Hannibal from Carthage is my choice for the greatest military strategist of all time.
What does Tzu mean in English?
: any of an old Chinese breed of toy dogs that have a square short unwrinkled muzzle, short muscular legs, and a long dense flowing coat.
Is Lao Tzu related to Sun Tzu?
Outside of China, the three most famous of the Zi Crew are: Kongzi = Confucius = revered thinker who inspired Confucianism. Laozi = Lao Tzu = Lao Tsu = illusive mystic who inspired Daoism (Taoism) Sunzi = Sun Tzu = Sun Wu = military strategist who inspired The Art of War.
What did Sun Tzu do?
Sun Tzu (l. c. 500 BCE) was a Chinese military strategist and general best known as the author of the work The Art of War, a treatise on military strategy (also known as The Thirteen Chapters). 772-476 BCE), which advocated military preparedness in maintaining peace and social order.
What is heaven in Art of War?
Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons. 8. Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
Who said all warfare is based on deception?
Sun Tzu best expressed the martial role of deception in saying “All warfare is based on deception.” Deceptions can involve false maneuvers, feigned attacks, misleading orders of battle, and creation of deceiving indications of strength or weakness in attempts to influence an enemy’s actions.
What are the five constant factors to waging war?
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.
