The Book of War E-Book

Sun Tzu

• Herausgeber: Sun Tzu
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2015

Beschreibung

Written in the fifth century B.C., Suntzu and Wutzu still remain the most celebrated works on war in the literature of China. While the chariot has gone, and weapons have changed, these ancient masters have held their own, since they deal chiefly with the fundamental principles of war, with the influence of politics and human nature on military operations; and they show in a most striking way how unchanging these principles are.When these books were written, China was a conglomerate of principalities in continual ferment. Personal ambition and intrigue, and not the wishes of the people, were the main factors in these wars. Patriotism, or a popular cause, could not, therefore, be relied on to maintain the moral of the levies. Instead of these, what may be called the force of despair is pointed out as the most powerful agent in giving cohesion and energy to an army. The general is urged to take a vigorous offensive; and to act at a distance from his base, where defeat means disaster, and where desertion is minimised owing to the distance from home. He should, in fact, burn his boats before an action, or, in Chinese phrase, act as one who removes the ladder from under those mounted upon the roof.

Leseprobe

Sun Tzu

The Book of War

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Table of contents

INTRODUCTION

THE ARTICLES OF SUNTZU

I PRELIMINARY RECKONING

II OPERATIONS OF WAR

III THE ATTACK BY STRATAGEM

IV THE ORDER OF BATTLE

V THE SPIRIT OF THE TROOPS

VI EMPTINESS AND STRENGTH

VII BATTLE TACTICS

VIII THE NINE CHANGES

IX MOVEMENT OF TROOPS

X GROUND

XI THE NINE GROUNDS

XIIASSAULT BY FIRE

XIII THE EMPLOYMENT OF SPIES

THE SAYINGS OF WUTZU

INTRODUCTION

I THE GOVERNMENT OF A COUNTRY

II ESTIMATION OF THE ENEMY

III CONTROL OF THE ARMY

IV QUALITIES OF THE GENERAL

V SUITING THE OCCASION

VI ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE TROOPS

FOOTNOTES:

INTRODUCTION

IWritten in the fifth century B.C., Suntzu and Wutzu still remain the most celebrated works on war in the literature of China. While the chariot has gone, and weapons have changed, these ancient masters have held their own, since they deal chiefly with the fundamental principles of war, with the influence of politics and human nature on military operations; and they show in a most striking way how unchanging these principles are.