The Art of War Summary – Sun Tzu

TheArt of War is a historical work on military tactics and warfare, believed to have been written by Sun Tzu in the 6th century BCE. It consists of 13 chapters that delve into various aspects of warfare, serving as indispensable cornerstone of military philosophy.

The Art of War is an important resource for anyone looking to develop strategic thinking skills and enhance their leadership abilities. Sun Tzu emphasizes that victory in war can be achieved not only through military power but also through strategy, planning, and intelligence.

The Art of War provides valuable advice on how to plan a war, how to identify the enemy’s weaknesses, and how to make the best use of resources. It also emphasizes values such as honesty, discipline, and teamwork. This book contains universal principles that can be applied not only in the field of military strategy but also in the business world, management, and daily life.

Summary Of The Art Of War

According to Master Sun, in “The Art of War,” there are five fundamental factors that a general must assess during wartime: the Way, heaven, earth, command, and discipline. By understanding and grasping the lessons and forms of each, a general can achieve victory in war. Victory requires seizing opportunities, surprising the enemy, and employing deception. While victory largely depends on preparation, it also relies on the ability to respond to changing circumstances and make quick decisions.

Sun Tzu asserts that war is a costly and complex affair that depletes the nation’s material resources and morale. Therefore, conflicts should be resolved as quickly as possible. For this purpose, war should be waged only for the sake of victory, not for the sake of shedding blood. A general should act with proportionality and mercy, refrain from crossing boundaries, and avoid exerting excessive pressure on the soldiers. While it may be pointless to kill aimlessly, capturing an enemy city intact is preferable. In fact, winning without fighting is the most desirable outcome.

The general is responsible not only for the army but also for the nation’s strength. The general must know how to manage his troops and make his own decisions. He must know and analyse the enemy as well as his own forces. Most importantly, a general must be able to devise good strategy. Just as water flows downhill with a well-thought-out strategy, an army can overwhelm its enemy. And numbers should be considered in strategy, as having fewer soldiers does not pose a problem in crushing the enemy if proper strategy is employed.

Sun Tzu emphasizes that all warfare is fundamentally about direct and indirect movement, understanding the flow of the situation, and seizing opportunities that arise from conflict. If the general responds appropriately to situational dynamics rather than relying solely on the abilities of his soldiers, he will crush the enemy like logs rolling downhill.

Sun Tzu stresses the importance of surprising and weakening the enemy. By keeping his own plans secret, the general forces the enemy to divide its forces to defend multiple points, as the enemy doesn’t know where the attack will come from. When the enemy forces are weakened, the general can better concentrate his attack. Forcing the enemy to prepare for an unknown attack weakens them. Of course, the general should not corner himself in the same way; when he doesn’t know where the attack will come from, his own forces weaken and become divided. Therefore, general must know the enemy’s plan, motivation, weaknesses, and keep his own plans secret.

Certainly, every victory is a unique situation; there is no standard formula. Victories are won by responding to the endless possible situations that arise as the world constantly changes. Therefore, like the flow of water downward, the army should always see the easiest path to the victory and attack the weakest point of the enemy.

Sun advises against entering chaos lightly. Sending the army into battle can mean losing both people and equipment, so the general must first be sure of the situation on the ground. Different geographical areas require different strategies for determining the method of attack, as mountains, rivers, salt marshes, and flat terrain all require different strategies.

There are routes and armies that must be completely avoided, Sun points out. Meanwhile, bells, drums, flags, banners, and torches keep the army organized and united in purpose. The wise general measures the morale of his soldiers and the enemy’s morale and only attacks at appropriate times. He must be cautious on the path to success and avoid falling into traps. Ignorance, cowardice, anger, arrogance, and misguided mercy are a general’s flaws, and when an army fails, the general likely has one of these five evils.

Beyond knowing the terrain, the general must read the signs of the enemy’s movements: If enemy is not moving an inch, it means they have found advantageous terrain. On the other hand, if the enemy general traps him, leading him to disadvantageous terrain, it means the enemy general is leading his leader astray. The general must also observe the enemy’s men, seeing the true condition of his army: Are they tired, thirsty, hungry, hopeless, disorderly? Is the enemy general fickle, despotic, incompetent? Only numbers do not win a battle – wisdom, understanding, and loyalty do, the condition and abilities of the soldiers are the responsibility of the general.

Still, the general must keep his strategies even from his soldiers, he must have absolute confidence in them. The general is only a commander and his responsibility is so great that even in situations where the general closer to the battlefield knows better, he may ignore the ruler’s orders.

Turning to more practical matters, Sun says that seizing something the enemy values is a way to bend it to the general’s will. Speed is also important in war once decisions are made, and plundering from the enemy is an effective way to resupply troops. In addition, five things should be targeted in a fire attack: people, materials, equipment, depots, and communication lines. The general must have the materials ready to use these attack methods and must know how to use them under the right conditions, for example, the right season. He should not be hasty, he should be wise because disaster cannot be undone. Being careful can preserve peace.

Wars are expensive and hurt the whole nation, especially ordinary people, so investing in a solid agent network is good financial planning. Spies must also be paid well to ensure their loyalty. Double agents are a way to find more spies, so they should be treated especially well. No one is closer to the general’s spies than they are; with their knowledge, he knows his enemy and its weakest points. The wisest general knows how to use them best.