Who Wrote the Chinese Book the Art of War
The Art of War (Sunzi bingf a) is a 5th-century BCE military treatise written past the Chinese strategist Dominicus-Tzu (aka Sunzi or Sun Wu). Covering all aspects of warfare, it seeks to suggest commanders on how to gear up, mobilise, assail, defend, and treat the vanquished. One of the most influential texts in history, it has been used by military strategists for over 2,000 years and admired by leaders from Napoleon to Mao Zedong.
Sun-Tzu
Biographical details concerning Sun-Tzu are scarce. He was said to have lived around 500 BCE, been born in the country of Qi but acted as a commander in the southern state of Wu. Traditionally, his famous work, The Art of State of war, was thought to take been written in the later on stages of the Warring States Period (481-221 BCE), but since the discovery of an older version of the text written on bamboo strips in a tomb at Yinqueshan in southern Shandong, the composition date has been put back to the fifth century BCE. Some of the content also places the text in this period while, at the aforementioned time, some scholars differ in opinion and signal to the sophisticated linguistic communication and other matters of military development within the text as evidence it was compiled afterward. The traditional text version was edited by the 3rd-century CE military dictator Cao Cao. English translations of the text are oft included in an anthology titled the 7 Military Classics, which also includes works by other authors such as the Six Surreptitious Strategies and Wei Liaozi.
Structure & Themes
The Art of War is divided into 13 chapters or pian which embrace different aspects of warfare from planning to diplomacy. The work is not shy on the use of deception which runs through many of the suggested stratagems. Still, the book is not a glorification of warfare, and an important point, raised several times in the work, is that actual gainsay only results from the failure of other strategies to defeat the enemy and is e'er an undesirable waste of men and resource.
The Art of State of war is often cited as the go-to source for those engaging in guerrilla warfare.
As much of the advice relates to deploying troops with imagination and daring based on a good prior knowledge of the terrain and enemy, withdrawals and counter-offensives, and the importance of psychology, The Art of War is often cited as the go-to source for those engaging in guerrilla warfare. For this reason, Dominicus Tzu's ideas have continued to exist relevant to the conduct of state of war no matter the developments in engineering or increase in the destructive power of weapons. Wherever soldiers come face to face with the enemy Sun-Tzu'due south ideas may be applied.
An important concept in the text and those treatises which followed is qi (or shih), which is the 'breath' or essence of life in Chinese thought. Its relevance to warfare is that commanders must energise the qi of their ain troops while at the same time bleed it from the enemy. Thus, the psychology of warfare is recognised equally a vital factor in the overall success of campaigns.
The Art of War past Sun-Tzu
The Fine art of War was not admired by all. Followers of Confucianism took exception to the apply of deception which they considered as contrary to gentlemanly conduct. Another critic was Han Fei Tzu, an influential philosopher and counselor to Rex Cheng of the Ch'in state during the Warring States Period. Fei Tzu idea that the work neglected discipline as an important element in an ground forces'south success and was non convinced by the argument that the limitation of war's destructive consequences should always be in the thoughts of a commander.
Text Summary
Affiliate i: Initial Estimations
The volume opens with the following statement: "Warfare is the greatest affair of state, the footing of life and death, the Fashion [Tao] to survival or extinction. It must be thoroughly pondered and analysed" (Sawyer, 2007, 157). Next, nosotros are told a commander who seeks victory must consider v principles or areas: Tao idea, yin and yang, terrain, wise and courageous generals, and the laws of warfare and subject field.
Chapter 2: Waging War
The importance of supplies and logistics to an army are expressed. Weapons volition dull, food volition run out and soldiers tire so that, "No country has ever profited from protracted warfare" (ibid, 159). If possible, provisions should be acquired from the enemy. Captured soldiers should be treated well and encouraged to bring together the army of their victors.
"The highest realisation of warfare is to attack the enemy'due south plans" (The Art of War)
Affiliate 3: Planning Offensives
A commander should limit the destruction inflicted on the enemy: "The highest realisation of warfare is to attack the enemy'due south plans; adjacent is to set on their alliances; next to assault their army; and the lowest is to attack their fortified cities" (ibid, 161). Siege warfare is costly and time-consuming and and then should be a final resort. Five factors volition influence victory: knowing when to fight or retreat, knowing how to deploy both small and large armies, knowing how to motivate all levels of troops, preparation (even for the unexpected), and having a ruler who does non interfere with a talented commander. The importance of knowing one's enemy is stressed.
Chapter 4: Military machine Disposition
Planning and training are again stressed. Commanders must know when to assault and when to defend. They must always measure, estimate, calculate, and weigh the strength of their enemy, so victory will exist bodacious.
Chapter five: Strategic Armed services Power
Here Sun-Tzu discusses the necessity of managing i'due south troops in all situations:
…in battle 1 engages with the orthodox and gains victory through the unorthodox…Ane who employs strategic power [shih] commands men in battle every bit if he were rolling logs and stones…Thus the strategic power [shih] of 1 who excels at employing men in warfare is comparable to rolling round boulders down a k-fathom mountain. (ibid, 165)
Affiliate 6: Vacuity & Substance
The enemy should be forced to react or be provoked into reaction, e'er following the initiative of the eventual victor. 1 should occupy the battlefield first, becoming familiar with information technology and the dispositions of the enemy. A commander should not make it obvious where he is attacking but probe and discover the enemy's weakness, monitoring and assessing their ability to answer to attacks in various places: "Thus the pinnacle of military machine deployment approaches the formless. If information technology is formless, then even the deepest spy cannot discern it or the wise make plans against it" (ibid, 168).
Affiliate 7: Armed forces Combat
On the difficulties of moving an army in the field and ensuring troops are kept together and not separated from each other or their supplies:
Thus the regular army is established past deceit, moves for reward, and changes through segmenting and reuniting. Thus its speed is like the current of air, its slowness similar the forest; its invasion and plundering like a fire; unmoving, it is like the mountains. It is as difficult to know as the darkness; in movement it is like thunder. (ibid, 169)
The regular army tin be made more cohesive by ensuring all are motivated to fight and will receive their rewards. It can also be amend managed as a unit on the battlefield by the use of fires, flags, and drums.
Chapter 8: Nine Changes
Sun-Tzu identifies ix action points that a commander should follow, which include using the terrain to ane'south advantage, not pressing the enemy or attacking their cities in all situations. The commander must always weigh the advantages of proceeds and the dangers of losses with every action he takes.
Chapter 9: Manoeuvring the Regular army
A commander should occupy high footing when he tin and he should non remain near rivers, gorges, forests or marshlands. Such places are prime locations for ambush. There and so follows a list of points on how to spot what the enemy is upward to, from troop movements to their level of hunger.
Chariot, Terra cotta Army
Chapter ten: Configurations of Terrain
Dominicus-Tzu identifies the most common forms of terrain: attainable (allowing freedom of troop movement), suspended (where retreat is hard), stalemated (where movement by both sides brings no particular advantage), constricted (troops must occupy all of the terrain in order to defend it), sharp (the high basis must be occupied for success), and expansive (where engagement is not desirable for either side). Weaknesses of armies are identified such equally militarily poor officers, generals who practise not use field of study, and rebel junior officers.
A commander must know his army and its capabilities very well. In improver,
When the general regards his troops equally immature children, they volition advance into the deepest valleys with him. When he regards the troops as his beloved children, they will be willing to die with him. (ibid, 177)
Affiliate 11: Nine Terrains
Another nine types of terrain are identified which will determine a general'south deportment: dispersive (when feudal lords are on their own footing), calorie-free (when a commander enters but a short way into enemy territory), contentious (where either side can proceeds the reward), traversable (both sides can easily manoeuvre), focal (terrain bordered past potential allies), heavy (where ane can attack deep into enemy territory), entrapping (terrain with difficulties similar swamps and ravines), encircled (terrain with a limited access point), and fatal (where a decisive win or loss might occur).
Affiliate 12: Incendiary Attacks
Sunday-Tzu identifies the different targets for incendiary attacks: men, provisions, supply trains, armouries, and formations. Again, preparation, timing, and atmospheric condition atmospheric condition must all be considered to maximise the effectiveness of the attack.
Chapter xiii: Employing Spies
The negative furnishings of warfare on the local population are considered. The importance of knowing the enemy is repeated, and this can be acquired through the use of spies. In that location are several types of spies that can be usefully employed: locals, expendable, those with a high position in the enemy authorities, double agents, and those who return after performing their duty. Spies must be rewarded generously, i should be wary and prepared to exist spied upon oneself, and a good commander tin utilise spies to misinform the enemy.
In general, equally for the armies y'all desire to strike, the cities you want to set on, and the men you lot want to electrocute, y'all must first know the names of the defensive commander, his assistants, staff, door guards, and attendants. You must have our spies search out and learn them all. (ibid, 186)
Legacy
The Art of War not only influenced other similar Chinese works on military strategy during the Warring States Period when such manuals became common and officers could recite passages by heart but also later writers and commanders. Medieval Japanese commanders consulted it, Napoleon was said to have employed many principles expounded in the volume, and the Chinese leader Mao Zedong was a great fan of the work and cited it as a contributing factor in his victory over Chiang Kai-shek in the ceremonious war of the mid-20th century CE. Ho Chi Minh also employed many of Dominicus Tzu's principles during the Vietnam War later in the same century. Every bit the most famous military treatise in Asian history, the work continues to exist as popular as ever and is oft included as essential reading on curriculums worldwide for courses in history and political scientific discipline.
This article has been reviewed for accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards prior to publication.
Source: https://www.worldhistory.org/The_Art_of_War/
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