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All war is deception.

Sun Tzu

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Sun Tzu
Military Personnel
Philosopher
Strategist
Writer
Kingdom of Qi
Sun Wu
Sun Zi
Changqing
Deception
War

More quotes by Sun Tzu

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Order or disorder depends on organisation and direction courage or cowardice on circumstances strength or weakness on tactical dispositions.
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An army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness.
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When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum. When the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.
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Therefore I say: know the enemy and know yourself in a hundred battles you will never be in peril. When you are ignorant of the enemy but know yourself, your chances of winning or losing are equal. If ignorant both of your enemy and of yourself, you are certain in every battle to be in peril.
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Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small. The difficult things in this world must be done while they are easy, the greatest things in the world must be done while they are still small. For this reason sages never do what is great, and this is why they achieve greatness.
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To capture the enemy's entire army is better than to destroy it to take intact a regiment, a company, or a squad is better than to destroy them. For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the supreme of excellence. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence.
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Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary men is foreknowledge.
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Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.
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So the principles of warfare are: Do not depend on the enemy not coming, but depend on our readiness against him. Do not depend on the enemy not attacking, but depend on our position that cannot be attacked.
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Weigh the situation, then move.
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With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy.
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The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
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The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
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When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.
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In warfare, there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent will succeed and win.
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He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish.
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Thus the highest form of generalship is to balk the enemy's plans, the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces, the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field, and the worst policy of all is to besiege walled cities.
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In all history, there is no instance of a country having benefited from prolonged warfare. Only one who knows the disastrous effects of a long war can realize the supreme importance of rapidity in bringing it to a close.
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Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.
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In making tactical dispositions, the highest pitch you can attain is to conceal them.
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