Quote

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.

Sun Tzu

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Sun Tzu
Military Personnel
Philosopher
Strategist
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Kingdom of Qi
Sun Wu
Sun Zi
Changqing
Coming
Position
Readiness
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Enemy
Attacking
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Warfare
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All warfare is based on deception. There is no place where espionage is not used. Offer the enemy bait to lure him.
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If I wish to engage, then the enemy, for all his high ramparts and deep moat, cannot avoid engagement I attack that which he is obliged to rescue.
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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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The peak efficiency of knowledge and strategy is to make conflict unnecessary.
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Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation.
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The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
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Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.
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The value of time, that is of being a little ahead of your opponent, often provides greater advantage than superior numbers or greater resources.
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Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient.
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When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped to go rolling down.
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If I determine the enemy's disposition of forces while I have no perceptible form, I can concentrate my forces while the enemy is fragmented. The pinnacle of military deployment approaches the formless: if it is formless, then even the deepest spy cannot discern it nor the wise make plans against it.
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It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles if you do not know your enemies but do know yourself, you will win one and lose one if you do not know your enemies nor yourself, you will be imperiled in every single battle.
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Victory is reserved for those who are willing to pay its price.
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If not in the interests of the state, do not act. If you cannot succeed, do not use troops. If you are not in danger, do not fight.
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If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.
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In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack.. the direct and the indirect yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.
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