All warfare is based on deception.

The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.

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

Part 4

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Just inspiration.

"The Art of War"

"The Art of The Deal"

Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger

and security; open ground and narrow passes; the

chances of life and death

The rule is, not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided. The preparation of mantlets, movable

shelters, and various implements of war, will take up

three whole months; and the piling up of mounds over

against the walls will take three months more.

In respect of military method, we have, firstly,

Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly,

Victory

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

Energy may be likened to the bending of a crossbow; decision, to the releasing of a trigger.

Amid the turmoil and tumult of battle, there may be

seeming disorder and yet no real disorder at all; amid

confusion and chaos, your array may be without head

or tail, yet it will be proof against defeat.

1. Simulated disorder postulates perfect discipline,

simulated fear postulates courage; simulated weakness

postulates strength.

1. Hiding order beneath the cloak of disorder is simply a question of subdivision; concealing courage

under a show of timidity presupposes a fund of latent

energy; masking strength with weakness is to be effected by tactical dispositions.

1. Thus one who is skillful at keeping the enemy on

the move maintains deceitful appearances, according to

which the enemy will act. He sacrifices something,

that the enemy may snatch at it.

1. By holding out baits, he keeps him on the march;

then with a body of picked men he lies in wait for him.

1. 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.

When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting

men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones.

For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope; if

four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if roundshaped, to go rolling down

Thus the energy developed by good fighting men is

as the momentum of a round stone rolled down a

mountain thousands of feet in height. So much on the

subject of energy

How victory may be produced for them out of the

enemy’s own tactics—that is what the multitude cannot

comprehend.

The five elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth)

are not always equally predominant; the four seasons

make way for each other in turn. There are short days

and long; the moon has its periods of waning and waxing.

There are roads which must not be followed, armies

which must be not attacked, towns which must be

besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.

Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on

them; and make trouble for them, and keep them constantly engaged; hold out specious allurements, and

make them rush to any given point.

There are five dangerous faults which may affect a

general:

(1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction;

(2) cowardice, which leads to capture;

(3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by

insults;

(4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;

(5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him

to worry and trouble.

We may distinguish six kinds of terrain, to wit:

(1) Accessible ground;

(2) entangling ground;

(3)temporizing ground;

(4) narrow passes;

(5) precipitousheights;

(6) positions at a great distance from the enemy

1. Hence he does not strive to ally himself with all and

sundry, nor does he foster the power of other states. He

carries out his own secret designs, keeping his antagonists in awe. Thus he is able to capture their cities and

overthrow their kingdoms.