i was jus wondering why the coalition had been so successful in
entering baghdad. reminds me of Sun Zi's Art Of War's tatic,
the
" Kong Cheng Ji" which means empty city tatics. Sun Tzu said: The
art of war is of vital importance to the State.
It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to
ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be
neglected.
The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be
taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to
determine the conditions obtaining in the field.
These are:
(1) The Moral Law;
(2) Heaven;
(3) Earth;
(4) The Commander;
(5) Method and discipline.
[It appears from what follows that Sun Tzu means by "Moral Law" a
principle of harmony, not unlike the Tao of Lao Tzu in its moral
aspect. One might be tempted to render it by "morale," were it not
considered as an attribute of the ruler .
The MORAL LAW causes the people to be in complete accord with their
ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives,
undismayed by any danger.
[Tu Yu quotes Wang Tzu as saying: "Without constant practice, the
officers will be nervous and undecided when mustering for battle;
without constant practice, the general will be wavering and
irresolute when the crisis is at hand."]
HEAVEN signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and
seasons.
[The commentators, I think, make an unnecessary mystery of two
words here. Meng Shih refers to "the hard and the soft, waxing and
waning" of Heaven. Wang Hsi, however, may be right in saying that
what is meant is "the general economy of Heaven," includi ng the
five elements, the four seasons, wind and clouds, and other
phenomena.]
EARTH comprises distances, great and small; danger and security;
open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.
The COMMANDER stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely,
benevolence, courage and strictness.
[The five cardinal virtues of the Chinese are
(1) humanity or benevolence;
(2) uprightness of mind;
(3) self-respect, self-control, or "proper feeling;"
(4) wisdom;
(5) sincerity or good faith. Here "wisdom" and "sincerity" are put
before "humanity or benevolence," and the two military virtues of
"courage" and "strictness" substituted for "uprightness of mind"
and "self-respect, self-control, or 'proper feeling.'"]
By METHOD AND DISCIPLINE are to be understood the marshaling of the
army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the
officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the
army, and the control of military expenditu re.
These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows
them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.
Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the
military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in
this wise: --
(a) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law?
(b) Which of the two generals has most ability?
(c) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth?
[
(d) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?
[Tu Mu alludes to the remarkable story of Ts`ao Ts`ao (A.D.
155-220), who was such a strict disciplinarian that once, in
accordance with his own severe regulations against injury to
standing crops, he condemned himself to death for having allowed
him horse to shy into a field of corn! However, in lieu of losing
his head, he was persuaded to satisfy his sense of justice by
cutting off his hair. Ts`ao Ts`ao's own comment on the present
passage is characteristically curt: "when you lay down a law, s ee
that it is not disobeyed; if it is disobeyed the offender must be
put to death."]
(e) Which army is stronger? [Morally as well as physically. As Mei
Yao-ch`en puts it, freely rendered, "ESPIRIT DE CORPS and 'big
battalions.'"]
(f) On which side are officers and men more highly trained?
[Tu Yu quotes Wang Tzu as saying: "Without constant practice, the
officers will be nervous and undecided when mustering for battle;
without constant practice, the general will be wavering and
irresolute when the crisis is at hand."]
(g) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and
punishment? [On which side is there the most absolute certainty
that merit will be properly rewarded and misdeeds summarily
punished?]
By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or
defeat.
The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will
conquer: --let such a one be retained in command! The general that
hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat:
--let such a one be dismissed! [The form of this paragraph reminds
us that Sun Tzu's treatise was composed expressly for the benefit
of his patron Ho Lu, king of the Wu State.]
While heading the profit of my counsel, avail yourself also of any
helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules.
According as circumstances are favorable, one should modify one's
plans.
[Sun Tzu, as a practical soldier, will have none of the "bookish
theoric." He cautions us here not to pin our faith to abstract
principles; "for," as Chang Yu puts it, "while the main laws of
strategy can be stated clearly enough for the benefit of all and
sundry, you must be guided by the actions of the enemy in
attempting to secure a favorable position in actual warfare."
On the eve of the battle of Waterloo, Lord Uxbridge, commanding the
cavalry, went to the Duke of Wellington in order to learn what his
plans and calculations were for the morrow, because, as he
explained, he might suddenly find himself Commander-in-chief and
would be unable to frame new plans in a critical moment. The Duke
listened quietly and then said: "Who will attack the first tomorrow
-- I or Bonaparte?" "Bonaparte," replied Lord Uxbridge. "Well,"
continued the Duke, "Bonaparte has not given me any idea of his
projects; and as my plans will depend upon his, how can you expect
me to tell you what mine are?" [1] ]
All warfare is based on deception.
[The truth of this pithy and profound saying will be admitted by
every soldier. Col. Henderson tells us that Wellington, great in so
many military qualities, was especially distinguished by "the
extraordinary skill with which he concealed his movemen ts and
deceived both friend and foe."]
Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our
forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must
make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make
him believe we are near.
Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush
him.
[All commentators, except Chang Yu, say, "When he is in disorder,
crush him." It is more natural to suppose that Sun Tzu is still
illustrating the uses of deception in war.]
If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he
is in superior strength, evade him.
If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate
him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. [Wang
Tzu, quoted by Tu Yu, says that the good tactician plays with his
adversary as a cat plays with a mouse, first feigning
weakness and immobility, and then suddenly pouncing upon
him.]
If he is taking his ease, give him no rest.
If his forces are united, separate them.
[Less plausible is the interpretation favored by most of the
commentators: "If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division
between them."]
Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not
expected.
These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged
beforehand.
Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his
temple ere the battle is fought.
The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations
beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few
calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is
by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win
or lose.
