Sun Szu (500 years plus BC) Art of War (English translation:
Khoo Kheng-Hor)
(Consisted of 13 chapters namely: planning, waging war, offensive
strategy, tactics, energy, strengths and weakness analysis,
manoeuvers, tactical variations, on the march, terrains, nine
varieties of ground, attack by fire, espionage.)
Salient Points:-
Under PLANNING,
Five Factors: (Supplemented by six operational elements)
(1) Moral Law - which causes people in be in accord with their
ruler so that they will follow him in life unto death without fear
for their lives and daunted by perils
(2) Heaven - understanding the natural forces and arrange military
operations according to weather
(3) Earth - distance long or short, obstacles
(4) Commands- general's virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence,
courage and strictness
(5) Doctrine.- army's subdivisions in ranks, supply routes,
provisioning,
Salient points for winning a war:-
(1) Know yourself as you know others hundred battles hundred
victories.
(2) Commander : Seeks virtues, disciplines himself according to
laws in order to effect control over his success.
(3) Management of many is the same as of a few. Divide into number
and functions. (See: www.managefranchise.blogspot.com) Manoeuvering
an large army is no different from manoeuvering small one:
formation and signals.
(4) Without harmony in the state, no military expedition can be
made, without harmony in the army, no battle formation can be
directed. In war, the general first receives his commands from the
ruler and assembles his troops and blends them into an harmonious
entity before pitching camps.
(5) Master the manoeuveres. Turn the devious into direct and
misfortunes into gain. War is based on deception. Move only when
there is a good advantage to be gained and create changes by
dividing and concentrating the forces. Be swift as the wind compact
as the forest. In raiding and plundering like fire; in stability
like mountain. Let your plan be unfathomable as the cloud and move
like thunder bolt.
(6) Do not pursue an enemy who pretend to flee. Refrain attack
troops whose spirit is keen. Do not swallow a bait put out by the
enemy. When surrounding an enemy leave him an escape route. Do not
press an enemy to desperation.
(7) In battle number of soldiers does not necessarily secure
victories. Never advance by relying blindly on strength of military
power. It is sufficient to concentrate on our strength, estimate
our enemy's position and seek his capture. Those who lack foresight
show contempt and disdain of enemy will only end up being
captured.
(
Secure the loyalty of
your troops first before punishing them or they will not be
submissive
Go and read up if you will and see how our SAF generals have
succeeded in mastering such complex but highly practical art in
coping with our national defence.
The first chapter on Planning obviously has not been implemented by
the leaders. So this shortcoming needs to be corrected first to
support the SAF. A country divided cannot win a war.