Quotes from Sun Tzu

Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, "Well done!

Once war is declared, he will not waste precious time in waiting for reinforcements, nor will he return his army back for fresh supplies, but crosses the enemy's frontier without delay.

Again the girls assented. The words of command having been thus explained, he set up the halberds and battle-axes in order to begin the drill. Then, to the sound of drums, he gave the order "Right turn." But the girls only burst out laughing. Sun Tzu said: "If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame.

it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them.

The secret of getting successful work out of your trained men lies in one nutshell—in the clearness of the instructions they receive.

However, this translation is, in the words of Dr. Giles, excessively bad. He goes further in this criticism: It is not merely a question of downright blunders, from which none can hope to be wholly exempt.

So a military force has no constant formation, water has no constant shape: the ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius.

Soldiers must be first treated in the first instance with humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline.

If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.

The Way means inducing the people to have the same aim as the leadership

Traitez bien les prisonniers, nourissez-les comme vos propres soldats, afin qu'il se trouvent mieux chez vous qu'ils ne l'étaient dans leur propre camp ou dans leur patrie. (article II)

Continuer la lutte lorsqu'on est victorieux, c'est aussi bien diminuer ses propres forces qu'affaiblir le gage exigé du vaincu. (notes de L. Nachin (1948) sur l'article II)

Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.

Every animal with blood in its veins and horns on its head will fight when it is attacked.

It is unlucky to be stubborn in the face of insurmountable odds

prohibit omens altogether. You can best predict your future by controlling it yourself, not by trusting luck or fate to control it.

Asked if an army can be made to imitate the SHUAI-JAN, I should answer, Yes. For the men of Wu and the men of Yueh are enemies; yet if they are crossing a river in the same boat and are caught by a storm, they will come to each other's assistance just as the left hand helps the right.

The host thus forming a single united body, is it impossible either for the brave to advance alone, or for the cowardly to retreat alone

see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.

8.    Hence that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack. [An aphorism which puts the whole art of war in a nutshell.]

Invincibility is in oneself, vulnerability in the opponent.

The Book of Army Management says: On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough: hence the institution of gongs and drums. Nor can ordinary objects be seen clearly enough: hence the institution of banners and flags.

Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. 21. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life. 22. Hence the enlightened ruler is heedful, and the good general full of caution. This is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact.

15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store.