If quick, I survive.
Hence a commander who advances without any thought of winning personal fame and withdraws in spite of certain punishment, whose only concern is to protect his people and promote the interests of his r...
All war is based on deception.
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.
When the enemy is relaxed, make them toil. When full, starve them. When settled, make them move.
The control of a large force is the same principle
No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify hisown spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique.If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, staywhere you a...
There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.
The enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution.
Regard your soldiers as your children, and they will follow you into the deepest valleys look on them as your own beloved sons, and they will stand by you even unto death.
Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.
In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack--the
If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
If equally matched, we can offer battle; if slightly inferior in numbers, we can avoid the enemy; if quite unequal in every way, we can flee from him. Though an obstinate fight may be made by a small...
So in war, the way is to avoid what is strong, and strike at what is weak.
Ponder and deliberate before you make a move.
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...
If ignorant both of your enemy and yourself, you are certain to be in peril.
Deep knowledge is to be aware of disturbance before disturbance, to be aware of danger before danger, to be aware of destruction before destruction, to be aware of calamity before calamity. Strong act...
By reinforcing every part, he weakens every part.