The Art of War | Page 3

quite unequal in every way, we
can flee from him.
10. Hence, though an obstinate fight may be made by a small force, in
the end it must be captured by the larger force.
11. Now the general is the bulwark of the State; if the bulwark is
complete at all points; the State will be strong; if the bulwark is
defective, the State will be weak.

12. There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his
army:--
13. (1) By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being
ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the
army.
14. (2) By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he
administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain
in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds.
15. (3) By employing the officers of his army without discrimination,
through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to
circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers.
16. But when the army is restless and distrustful, trouble is sure to
come from the other feudal princes. This is simply bringing anarchy
into the army, and flinging victory away.
17. Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: (1) He
will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. (2) He will
win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. (3) He
will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its
ranks. (4) He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy
unprepared. (5) He will win who has military capacity and is not
interfered with by the sovereign.
18. Hence the saying: 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.
IV. TACTICAL DISPOSITIONS
1. Sun Tzu said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond
the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of
defeating the enemy.

2. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the
opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. 3.
Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but
cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
4. Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able
to do it.
5. Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the
enemy means taking the offensive.
6. Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a
superabundance of strength.
7. The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret
recesses of the earth; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the
topmost heights of heaven. Thus on the one hand we have ability to
protect ourselves; on the other, a victory that is complete.
8. To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is
not the acme of excellence.
9. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the
whole Empire says, "Well done!"
10. To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength; to see the sun
and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no
sign of a quick ear.
11. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins,
but excels in winning with ease.
12. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor
credit for courage.
13. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is
what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an
enemy that is already defeated.

14. Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes
defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the
enemy.
15. Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after
the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first
fights and afterwards looks for victory.
16. The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly
adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control
success.
17. In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement;
secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly,
Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.
18. Measurement owes its existence to Earth; Estimation of quantity to
Measurement; Calculation to Estimation of quantity; Balancing of
chances to Calculation; and Victory to Balancing of chances.
19. A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a pound's weight
placed in the scale against a single grain.