Sun Tzu - The Art of War

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And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him.

Sun Tzu
With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.

Sun Tzu
So there are five ways of knowing who will win. Those who know when to fight and when not to fight are victorious. Those who discern when to use many or few troops are victorious. Those whose upper and lower ranks have the same desire are victorious.

Sun Tzu
Should one ask: 'how do I cope with a well-ordered enemy host about to attack me?' I reply: seize something he cherishes and he will conform to your desires.

Sun Tzu
It is imperative to contest all factions for complete victory, so the army is not garrisoned and the profit can be total. This is the law of strategic siege.

Sun Tzu
What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.

Sun Tzu
If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need to do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.

Sun Tzu
The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.

Sun Tzu
The proximity of an army causes prices to go up; and high prices cause people's substance to be drained away. When their substance is drained away, they will be afflicted by heavy exactions. With this loss of substance and exhaustion of strength, the homes of the people will be stripped bare, and their incomes dissipated.

Sun Tzu
Hence the experienced soldier, once in motion, is never bewildered; once he has broken camp, he is never at a loss.

Sun Tzu
Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to the attack are signs that he will retreat.

Sun Tzu
The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat: - let such a one be dismissed!

Sun Tzu
Success in warfare is gained by carefully accommodating ourselves to the enemy's purpose.

Sun Tzu
When the common soldiers are too strong and their officers too weak, the result is insubordination. When the officers are too strong and the common soldiers too weak, the result is collapse.

Sun Tzu
Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.

Sun Tzu
According to my assessment, even if you have many more troops than others, how can that help you to victory?

Sun Tzu
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

Sun Tzu
Should the enemy strengthen his van, he will weaken his rear; should he strengthen his rear, he will weaken his van; should he strengthen his left, he will weaken his right; should he strengthen his right, he will weaken his left. If he sends reinforcements everywhere, he will everywhere be weak.

Sun Tzu
The King is only fond of words, and cannot translate them into deeds.

Sun Tzu
The difficulty of tactical maneuvering consists in turning the devious into the direct, and misfortune into gain.

Sun Tzu
Therefore I say: know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.

Sun Tzu
No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.

Sun Tzu
Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

Sun Tzu
Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will.

Sun Tzu
When the general is weak and without authority; when his orders are not clear and distinct; when there are no fixed duties assigned to officers and men, and the ranks are formed in a slovenly haphazard manner, the result is utter disorganization.

Sun Tzu
The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy

Sun Tzu
Act after having made assessments. The one who first knows the measure of far and near wins - this is the rule of armed struggle.

Sun Tzu
The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere 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 more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.

Sun Tzu
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
Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.

Sun Tzu