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Sun Tzu Quotes
206 Sourced Quotes
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Of all those in the army close to the commander none is more intimate than the secret agent; of all rewards none more liberal than those given to secret agents; of all matters none is more confidential than those relating to secret operations.
Sun Tzu
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Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.
Sun Tzu
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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.
Sun Tzu
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All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.
Sun Tzu
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It is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for the purposes of spying, and thereby they achieve great results.
Sun Tzu
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The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not be swayed by petty doubts.
Sun Tzu
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When a general, unable to estimate the enemy's strength, allows an inferior force to engage a larger one, or hurls a weak detachment against a powerful one, and neglects to place picked soldiers in the front rank, the result must be rout.
Sun Tzu
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Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.
Sun Tzu
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The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy. Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality.
Sun Tzu
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Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent's fate.
Sun Tzu
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Fighting with a large army under your command is nowise different from fighting with a small one: it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.
Sun Tzu
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So the important thing in a military operation is victory, not persistence.
Sun Tzu
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With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up.
Sun Tzu
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Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.
Sun Tzu
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Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun Tzu
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When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move, it is called temporising ground.
Sun Tzu
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The military has no constant form, just as water has no constant shape - adapt as you face the enemy, without letting them know beforehand what you are going to do.
Sun Tzu
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The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the shuai-jan is a snake that is found in the Ch'ang 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.
Sun Tzu
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Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.
Sun Tzu
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Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.
Sun Tzu
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The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.
Sun Tzu
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Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and you know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you now Heaven and you know Earth, you may make your victory complete.
Sun Tzu
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Throw your soldiers into positions whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight. If they will face death, there is nothing they may not achieve.
Sun Tzu
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A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.
Sun Tzu
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Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans, the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces, the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field, and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.
Sun Tzu
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Sun Tzu
Born:
543 BC
Died:
495 BC
(aged 48)
Bio:
Sun Tzu was a Chinese general, military strategist, and philosopher who lived in the Spring and Autumn period of ancient China.
Known for:
The Art of War
Most used words:
enemy
victory
army
war
general
attack
battle
fight
ground
men
fighting
win
strength
soldiers
result
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