Posted on 10/01/2001 9:03:57 PM PDT by Clive
1. Sun Tzu said: The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
2. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
3. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.
4. Hence the saying: One may know how to conquer without being able to do it.
5. Security against defeat implies defensive tactics; ability to defeat the enemy means taking the offensive.
6. Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength.
7. The general who is skilled in defense hides in the most secret recesses of the earth; he who is skilled in attack flashes forth from the topmost heights of heaven. Thus on the one hand we have ability to protect ourselves; on the other, a victory that is complete.
8. To see victory only when it is within the ken of the common herd is not the acme of excellence.
9. Neither is it the acme of excellence if you fight and conquer and the whole Empire says, "Well done!"
10. To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength; to see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear.
11. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease.
12. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.
13. He wins his battles by making no mistakes. Making no mistakes is what establishes the certainty of victory, for it means conquering an enemy that is already defeated.
14. Hence the skillful fighter puts himself into a position which makes defeat impossible, and does not miss the moment for defeating the enemy.
15. Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.
16. The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success.
17. In respect of military method, we have, firstly, Measurement; secondly, Estimation of quantity; thirdly, Calculation; fourthly, Balancing of chances; fifthly, Victory.
18. 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.
19. A victorious army opposed to a routed one, is as a pound's weight placed in the scale against a single grain.
20. The onrush of a conquering force is like the bursting of pent-up waters into a chasm a thousand fathoms deep.
The Cleary translation calls it "Formation"
It is not making mistakes, that show the measure of a leader or commander, but how fast you react to and recover from the mistakes that will be made in the fog of war.
Tony
Here is the Huang translation of 12 and 13:
So, the battles of those sophisticated at strategy do not have unorthodox victories, are not known for genius, are not acknowledged for valorHere is the Cleary translation:-- because their victories contain no miscalculations. "No miscalculations" means their arrangements are victorious, achieving victory over those who have already lost.
Therefore the victories of good warriors are not noted for cleverness or bravery. Therefore their victories in battle are not flukes because they position themselves where they will surely win, prevailing over those who have already lost.Today there is a note of impatience creeping into the public press as nothing seems to be happening in respect of Afghanistan.
There was the same note of impatience when nothing was apparently happening repect of Iraq just before Stormin' Norman opened the ball.
Duh.
I really suspect this Sun Tzu guy is overrated.
Though I admit I have not read all of his "The Art of War"; It puts me to sleep.
Probably the one of the bigger misjudgements in FR history but you are definately entitled to your opinion.
Sun Tzu should be required reading for ALL soldiers, sailors and Marines. Not sure but I think it is on the curriculum at West Point and Colorado Springs.
From business to war to life this is a good book to read.
Probably not; but you're entitled to your opinion, too.
To help you, here is a translation of the above items 8 to 16, by Huang:
Visualization of victory which does not extend beyond common concepts is not absolute perfection.Huang's sub-chapter title for the above passage is "Control in Operations".Gaining victory in battle to the whole world's acclaim is not absolute perfection.
For, lifting autumn down does not concern great strength, seeing the sun and the moon does not concern sharp eyes, and hearing thunder does not concern sensitive ears.
Those known as sophisticated at strategy vanquish those who are easily vanquished.
So, the battles of those sophisticated at strategy do not have unorthodox victories, are not known for genius, are not acknowledged for valor -- because their victories contain no miscalculations.
"No miscalculations" means their arrangements are victorious, achieving victory over those who have already lost.
Those sophisticated at strategy occupy undefeatable positions and never overlook the enemy's losses.
Therefore, victorious forces first achieve victory and then conduct battle; losing forces first conduct battle and then seek victory.
Those sophisticated at strategy cultivate leadership and sustain rules so that they can be the controllers of victory and defeat.
Very little about this work impresses me.
But I admit I did enjoy that opening yarn about teaching the Emperor's concubines discipline (a pretty piece of fiction).
Perhaps Tzu's most enduring influence is his obscure writing style, which may have inspired such literary luminaries as Nostradamus.
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