Art of War by Sun Tzu

Overview

The Art of War (2003) by Sun Tzu, translated by Lionel Giles and edited by Dallas Galvin, is a
classic instructional text on the strategies and tactics of war handed down by Sun Tzu’s clan of
military strategists and dating to around the fifth century BCE. This edition contains both Giles’s
1910 annotated translation and new annotations by Galvin.
Waging war must begin with careful consideration of five factors. First is the need for a
harmonious relationship between the leader and citizens. The next two are the atmospheric
conditions and the characteristics of the land where battles will occur. The remaining factors are
the virtues valued by the participants and the organization of the troops. Understanding these
factors can help generals reinforce their strengths and take advantage of the opponent’s
weaknesses.
The objective of generals is to win a war quickly without destroying the things they want to
seize. A general should primarily aim to prevent the enemy from carrying out its plans and
increasing its forces. The size of the enemy’s forces compared to one’s own will determine
whether the appropriate action is to surround the enemy, attack, or retreat.
Successful leaders do not attack before they have positioned themselves in a way that will
practically guarantee victory. Once the opportunity presents itself, good generals strike without
hesitation, enabling their troops to overwhelm the enemy.
Rapid movement and coordination require a communication system that can cross great
distances. These systems must be scalable regardless of the size of the commanded force. Troops
energized by anger or a hope for reward will be adaptable and organized, representing an
overwhelming force.
A well-prepared army can manipulate the enemy’s weaknesses to force an attack or to avoid
conflict. An attack on an undefended position can weaken other positions as the opponent moves
resources to defend the target of the attack. Success relies on surprise and secrecy, so that the
enemy must make preparations against every possible attack simultaneously. The location a
general chooses to attack and the desired effect of that attack can change as the circumstances of
the battle change.
When ordering troops to move, generals must keep in mind that the chances of success decrease
as the difficulty of the movement increases. Once the general has carefully considered the
maneuver, the troops must be swift in carrying it out. These tactics vary with the environment,
such as the nearby roads, the terrain, and the coordination of the enemy troops. The general is
also a feature of the environment for the troops. Generals can cause defeat through cowardly and
reckless decisions.
The best place to encamp an army is on high terrain that faces the sun, so that the enemy will
have to fight uphill with the sun in their eyes. If the enemy army must cross a river, the best time
to attack is when the enemy troops are divided and some soldiers are still crossing. If the
enemy’s movements seem confident and assertive, its leaders likely feel well prepared, but
opponents should always be cautious that the enemy may attempt subterfuge. Signs of stress on
the soldiers reflect the morale of the entire army.
The most important features of an area of land are who occupies it and how accessible it is.
Depending on the value of the land and how difficult it is to possess, the best strategy may be
passing through it, plundering it for resources, or staying within it to fight.
A general who wants to avoid insubordination or disorganization must value each soldier while
maintaining an authoritative presence. Knowing one’s own troops, as well as the enemy’s, is
essential to victory. An army fights best when it believes that the only alternative is death.
Fire is commonly used as a weapon. An army can burn its enemy’s camp, stores, baggage, or
weaponry. The objective is to create chaos among enemy troops.
Spies can be local residents, enemy officers, or camp infiltrators. Identifying the enemy’s most
vital actors is any spy’s essential purpose. They can also deliver fake intelligence to the enemy.
Spies might help end a war by giving their employers specific targets to attack.
Sun Tzu’s teachings have been used by war strategists for centuries, including Napoleon
Bonaparte, Mao Tse-Tung, and George Patton. While interpretations of the individual points
vary, this text has survived for centuries as a source of insight into essential truths of military
strategy.
Key Insights
1. A wise general makes preparations to assure success before attacking. It is best for
generals to know themselves as well as the enemy.
2. Ending a war quickly is crucial to minimizing the costs of war.
3. Generals are at their strongest when ordering troops to prevent the enemy from enacting
its plans. They are weakest when besieging cities, particularly cities guarded by walls.
4. Good generals reinforce their own position early against all possible attacks. They attack
the vulnerabilities that the enemy leaves unguarded.
5. A general should preserve the army’s energy, then release it at the right moment. If the
army acts on an opportunity without hesitation, its force will be overwhelming.
6. By acting in unpredictable ways that constantly shift the battle, a general can prevent the
enemy’s attack.
7. The chances of success decrease when an army is forced to move too far or too fast to be
well-rested and prepared.
8. A general should be prepared to change tactics and take advantage of any good
opportunity when it appears, even in the midst of a fight.
9. Armies should travel and camp on stable, elevated ground. They should watch for signs
that the enemy is moving or camping, such as birds taking flight or dust clouds rising.
10. Generals must treat soldiers with respect and appreciation but punish infractions severely,
quickly, and with certainty.
11. It is important to vary tactics depending on whether the land is difficult to access,
whether it is occupied or can be contested by someone else, and whether it has a tactical
advantage for its possessor.
12. An army can use fire as a weapon to generate confusion in the enemy’s camp.
13. Spies can make wars shorter by retrieving information or sowing misinformation.
Important People
Sun Tzu (544-496 BCE) was a military strategist in the Eastern Chou Dynasty of ancient China.
Lionel Giles (1875-1958) was a sinologist who published the first annotated English translation
of The Art of War in 1910.
Dallas Galvin is a journalist who covers international military affairs.
Authors’ Style
The Art of War has been studied for generations and translated into English by many people with
varying levels of competency and commitment to authenticity. Galvin writes that Giles’s
translation is the first by a scholar of Chinese culture and language.
In this translation, the guidance is delivered in pronouncements and divided into chapters by
topic. The pronouncements generally build to a conclusion that explains what action to take in a
given scenario.
Although the text has been referenced by writers in a wide variety of fields, and the
pronouncements can be interpreted to apply to other subjects including business and politics, Sun
Tzu’s focus is on fighting battles.
Accompanying the translated text is a second version which includes annotations written by both
Giles and Galvin. Giles’s annotations reference the Chinese scholars who interpreted Sun Tzu’s
work between the years 100 and 1279. The annotations also include examples of more recent
military leaders who have made use of Sun Tzu’s teachings. Annotations by Galvin are signed
with her initials and provide updated scholarship, military examples, and cultural context
including film references.
This edition contains a brief biography of Sun Tzu, a timeline of Chinese history around the time
of Sun Tzu’s life, Galvin’s introduction to and historic overview of the text, and Giles’s preface.
Galvin adds an annotated list of books about Chinese history, other translations of The Art of
War, books about war strategy, websites that discuss strategy and apply Sun Tzu’s teachings to
other areas, and movies that reference The Art of War or reflect the world of Sun Tzu.