The Art of War summary. Treatise on the art of war. Application of the "Art of War"

The Art of War by Sun Tzu is the oldest manual on warfare that has survived to this day. The tract “The Art of War” was written around the end of the 6th and beginning of the 5th century BC greatest commander at that time Sun Tzu lived in the kingdom of Qi. It is still not clear whether Sun Tzu is a real historical figure and the author of the work “The Art of War”; based on recent research, the possible author could be the commander Sun Bin. Despite the fact that the author is not exactly known, the book went down in history as “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu, titles are also found: “a treatise on the art of war” by Sun Tzu, “The Laws of War (military methods) of the venerable (teacher) Sun” .

Philosophy of the "Art of War"

The book The Art of War itself consists of 13 chapters that describe the main stages of warfare. These are the chapters:

• Preliminary calculations
• Waging war.
• Strategic.
• Combat uniform.
• Power.
• Fullness and emptiness.
• Fight in the war.
• Nine changes.
• Hike.
• Terrain forms.
• Nine localities.
• Fire attack.
• Use of spies.

The book itself is full of Confucian philosophy and it should be noted that the essence of the book “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu boils down to the fact that war should be avoided. And apply fighting stands for the prosperity of the state and people. It is this deep philosophy of life that makes the book not only relevant thousands of years after its writing, but also allows it to be applied in other areas of life, for example in business.

Application of the "Art of War"

Sun Tzu's Art of War became most widespread in the east, including outside China. In particular, the treatise on the art of war was widely used in Japan. In many countries it is still used to train officers, for example in the US and Chinese armies. There are also many unconfirmed stories that the “Arts of War” were used by famous commanders of the past, in particular Napoleon and Nazi Germany.

Since most of the book is written about how to wage war without the use of force, the book has been widely used in areas not related to the army, especially in, as well as in sports. Many have been written modern business literature devoted to the practical use of advice described in “The Art of War”. One of the most famous is the story of the concubines.

The story of the Concubines

One day the prince asked Sun Tzu to demonstrate his abilities in practice. To do this, he offered him his harem at his disposal. It was a cunning move, but Sun Tzu did not refuse; he divided the harem into two detachments, distributed halberds to the women and appointed two of the prince’s favorite concubines at the head of the detachments.

The detachments took up a battle formation. When Sun Tzu began to command “right”, “left”, “forward” - the women began to laugh and not follow the order. Sun Tzu said: “the detachment did not carry out the order, which means it needs to be repeated,” which he did.

But the concubines did not carry out the order again, then Sun Tzu said “if the order is not carried out again, it is the fault of the commanders, since the commander explained the order twice.” And he ordered the execution of his two favorite concubines.

The prince, realizing the seriousness of the situation, decided to cancel the order, to which Sun Tzu said that in war no one has the right to cancel the order of the commander and the concubines were executed. After this, the concubines began to carry out all orders the first time.

Quotes from the book "The Art of War"

There are many famous quotes in Sun Tzu's book The Art of War; they have been used by generals for many centuries. But in the 21st century, these quotes are often used in peaceful areas. You can read the most famous quotes from the book “The Art of War” below:

“War is a great thing for the state, it is the ground of life and death, it is the path of existence and death. This needs to be understood"

“Power is the ability to use tactics in accordance with advantage”

“It has never happened before that a war lasted for a long time and this would be beneficial to the state. Therefore, anyone who does not fully understand all the harm from war cannot fully understand all the benefits from war.”

“War loves victory and does not like duration”

“Being in order, one expects disorder; being calm, they expect unrest; this is control of the heart"

“There are roads that are not taken; there are armies that are not attacked; there are fortresses over which they do not fight; there are areas over which people do not fight; There are commands of the sovereign that are not fulfilled"

“The essence of war is deception. The skillful must feign ineptitude. When ready to attack, demonstrate submission. When you are close, appear far away, but when you are very far away, pretend you are close.”

“Winning a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the pinnacle of military art. To defeat the enemy without fighting is the pinnacle.”

“I dare to ask: if the enemy appears in large numbers and in perfect order, how to meet him? I answer: take first what is dear to him. If you capture him, he will obey you."

Recently, Sun Tzu, the legendary Chinese military leader, has been often quoted. It is believed that his treatise “The Art of War”, written in the 5th century BC, is a masterpiece of military thought, and that it is still relevant. This opinion, albeit with some reservations, is reflected in the corresponding article on Wikipedia. In particular, it says that “in many East Asian countries, The Art of War was part of the examination syllabus for potential candidates for military service" That in Japan during the Sengoku era, the commander Takeda Shingen (1521-1573), precisely because he studied the “Art of War,” almost never knew defeat. That this treatise had a significant influence on Mao Zedong - Sun Tzu’s ideas were reflected in Mao’s work “On guerrilla warfare" That The Art of War was a subject of study among Viet Cong officers who "could recite entire sections of the book by heart." And the victory over the French in the famous Battle of Dien Bien Phu was largely predetermined by the fact that the Viet Cong general Vo Nguyen Giap successfully applied the tactics described in The Art of War.

However, if we seriously talk about the same battle of Dien Bien Phu, the question cannot help but arise: would Vo Nguyen Giap really not have achieved his goal if he had known nothing about Sun Tzu’s treatise, but simply acted in accordance with, say, with the “Combat Manual of the Ground Forces” (BUSV) of the USSR?

And further. Paying tribute to this treatise, one cannot help but see that by the middle of the 20th century, military issues had been enriched with new facts and circumstances, in relation to which Sun Tzu’s recommendations no longer look so universal and effective. And it’s not just the emergence of weapons of mass destruction that radically changed the nature of modern warfare. In the conditions of a war of technologies, including information, the general philosophical “universals” of the treatise, even if we assume that they have not lost either justice or relevance, should have been filled with new content - adequate both to these technologies and to the scale of the problems of modern war.

The response to new challenges was the emergence of new branches of scientific knowledge, to one degree or another related to military development and direct combat operations. Among them is a scientific discipline called “Systems Analysis”.

At the end of the sixties, the book by E. S. Quaid “Analysis of complex systems: Methodology of analysis in the preparation of military decisions” was presented to the attention of the Soviet reader, which is a revised presentation of a course of lectures on systems analysis given by leading employees of the RAND Corporation for senior officials of the US Department of Defense and Industry . It says, in particular:

“The survival of a nation may depend to a large extent on its ability to solve the problems of modern war in advance, bearing in mind that the experience of previous wars is unlikely to provide a reliable basis for solving these problems. Much of what may be associated with a future conflict cannot be resolved in any other way than by calculation. There is no other way to determine the number of missiles needed to destroy a group of targets, or to determine how to preserve a communications center when a bomb with a charge equivalent to 20 megatons of trinitrotoluene explodes nearby, or to achieve reliable disarmament."

Defining defense policy, Quaid believes, required “systematic quantitative research by physicists, sociologists, engineers in collaboration with military specialists.” The results of these studies provide recommendations to those "who make decisions on the broadest issues of national security." Such studies constitute the content of the discipline “Systems Analysis”. The circumstances that prompted us to turn to research of this type are not without interest. Quaid writes:

“At the time of the catastrophic military situation created in England during the Second World War, those responsible for the defense of this country decided to involve physicists, biologists, mathematicians and other highly educated specialists in solving purely military problems. The involvement of specialists was caused not only by the depth of the crisis experienced at that time, but also by the emergence of new weapons based on new production methods that were not known from past military experience. These weapons and weapon systems (radar being a prime example) were so new in concept and design that their use could not be planned on the basis of conventional military experience alone. New methods of analysis were required, which were developed during the Second World War and gave rise to a field of knowledge called at that time operations analysis, and later, depending on the application, operations research, systems engineering, cost-benefit analysis and systems analysis. The success of a small but fairly organized effort in England provided an impetus for development in this direction, and, as might be expected, the involvement of scientists contributed to the solution of problems that were usually considered beyond their competence.

The first chapter of Sun Tzu's treatise is called "Preliminary Calculations." Here are some excerpts from it:

1. Sun Tzu said: war is a great matter for the state, it is the ground of life and death, it is the path of existence and death.

4. Therefore, the war is weighed by seven calculations and in this way the situation is determined.

9. Who - even before the battle - wins preliminary calculation, he has a lot of chances; whoever - even before the battle - does not win by calculation has little chance. Whoever has a lot of chances wins; those who have little chance do not win; especially the one who has no chance at all. Therefore, for me - at the sight of this one thing - victory and defeat are already clear.

This a wisdom that some believe is at least two and a half millennia old.

But, for example, the real situation in the late forties and early fifties. Let me remind you that on December 19, 1949, the US Committee of Chiefs of Staff (CHS) approved the “Dropshot” plan for a war against Soviet Union and its allies, which proposed using the US nuclear monopoly that still existed at that time to organize large-scale atomic bombings of cities in the Soviet Union and mass extermination of civilians unprecedented in history. However, structures such as the KNS exist to develop a variety of scenarios for conducting combat operations - if possible, for all occasions. The date of approval of the document is also interesting here - there were several years left before the appearance of Soviet (and American) intercontinental ballistic missiles. The main means of delivering nuclear weapons at that time were strategic bombers.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the US Air Force command invited the RAND Corporation to conduct “study of the problem of choosing air bases on other continents”. In other words, to make those same “seven calculations” (“Measure seven times”?) that Sun Tzu speaks of. And then the specifics and special circumstances emerged, reflecting the specifics of the Cold War. Quaid writes:

“However, a preliminary study of this issue soon showed that the main problem was not how to acquire, build and operate air bases on the territory of other countries, but where and how to base strategic air Force and how to act with these forces in interaction with the chosen system of bases. It became clear that the issue of choosing bases could decisively affect the composition and striking power of strategic aviation, as well as the total cost of it. It was therefore unwise to consider the question of bases only in relation to savings in their cost. It was necessary to take into account how the decision on bases affected the overall cost of all strategic aircraft, for example, how it would affect the costs due to the increase in the range of bombers, which cannot reach the target without refueling, or on the routes on which aircraft must fly over enemy territory, the losses they may suffer from enemy air defense fire while flying along these routes, as well as the difficulties that may arise in restoring bases after an enemy attack on them.”.

Let us turn again to the wisdom of Sun Tzu. The third chapter of the treatise “Strategic attack” says: “they win if they know when to fight and when not to”. And further:

"9. That is why it is said: if you know him and know yourself, fight at least a hundred times, there will be no danger; if you know yourself, but don’t know him, you will win once, another time you will be defeated; If you don’t know yourself or him, every time you fight you will be defeated.”

In his book, Quaid devotes dozens of pages to research prior to making the required decision, where both the actions of the US military and the proposed actions of the command of the USSR Armed Forces are examined in detail. And he comes to the following conclusions:

“To my knowledge, this was the first study to address the vulnerability of U.S. strategic airpower, the most powerful air force in the world, as a critical issue and point out that it could be destroyed by a surprise enemy attack. Researchers considered many means and techniques to counter this threat, and subsequent discussions provided recommendations to the Air Force for other measures. As a result, the necessary measures were approved to protect US strategic aviation from the combined threat of aircraft and ballistic missiles and the role of active air defense systems was reconsidered."

The “sophisticated” reader of our days tends to believe that many of the provisions of Sun Tzu’s treatise seem quite obvious (“Thank you, Cap”). Interestingly, RAND analysts also encountered a very similar assessment of their own activities - albeit several years after the completion of the study commissioned by the Air Force command. Let's give the floor to Quaid again:

“Critics today believe that the results of the analysis should have been obvious before it was carried out and that no careful analysis was required. They argue that it is absurd not to take all reasonable measures to protect one's offensive forces, especially when the enemy is expected to launch a first strike, and that it is also absurd to transport rocket fuel by air during combat operations when it can be transported by sea at little cost to peacetime and stored where it is likely to be needed. However, these “absurdities” were not obvious at the time and became obvious a number of years after our analysis.”.

Apparently, attempts at such criticism of Sun Tzu’s book should be treated with some caution.

Yes, times are different now. Only within the framework of the rapidly developing discipline “System Analysis” have new methods, including mathematical ones, been developed. And the development of information technology has created completely new opportunities for collecting and processing information, managing complex and highly complex systems. What Sun Tzu says in his own general view, almost in philosophical categories, in modern implementation is reflected in working computer programs, database and knowledge storage systems. And, which is not uninteresting, the developers of all this “good” may well have known nothing about Sun Tzu himself or his treatise.

Some idea about modern methods The study of systems as applied to the organization of combat operations is given by the monograph by V.I. Novoseltsev "System analysis: modern concepts." The editor’s preface notes that the book is not cluttered with mathematical symbolism, which “allowed a rather difficult but interesting topic to be made accessible to a wide range of readers,” it says:

“The book puts forward and examines three utilitarian imperatives of systems research in their dialectical unity:

— dominance of the essence of the problem over formal methods of solving it;
— constructiveness of the conflictological view of the nature of things;
— the unconditional priority of model methods for substantiating decisions over empiricism and speculativeness."

Modern methods of systems analysis involve, in particular, the use of logical-linguistic solution methods.

For example, to describe situations, the so-called situational management language (SLM) is used, the vocabulary of which is formed by sets of: basic concepts (v), basic relations (r), names (i), elementary solutions (p) and ratings (O). From the elements of these sets, according to certain rules of the LSU grammar, texts are constructed that describe the input situations S(t). An example illustrating the capabilities of this language is the description of the following situation:

The tenth motorized rifle battalion (MSB) of the “greens” occupies the defense of the settlement “O”. The fifth mechanized brigade (ICB) of the “blues”, reinforced with fire support helicopters, was tasked with capturing the settlement “O”. The first motorized rifle (MSR) and second tank (TB) battalions of the fifth ICBM of the “blues” are on the march and approaching the zones of mortar and anti-tank weapons of the “greens”. The "blue" fire support helicopters entered the range of the "green" anti-aircraft missiles.

The use of such structures eliminates the ambiguity in understanding the situations described (typical for natural language). They are “understandable” to a computer, that is, they can be easily recorded, stored and processed, forming a base of subject knowledge. Such texts allow formal transformations of their constructions, in accordance with the grammar of a given language, which makes it possible to derive new concepts and generalize situations (divide many situations into subsets-classes).

So what is the value of Sun Tzu’s treatise for our contemporary?

It would seem that for the conduct of modern combat operations the combat regulations of various types of troops are much more useful. Modern systems analysis tools are very effective for planning military operations of any scale. Why do we need this Sun Tzu then? Is it worth spending time studying it?

It seems to me that the answer to this question follows precisely from the universal, philosophical nature of this work. Precisely as a bearer of certain philosophical ideas - in relation to all spheres of human activity in which there is competition and confrontation. In this sense, Novoseltsev’s point of view is personally close to me:

“At all times, philosophical knowledge is music for the soul, the harmony of the mind coming from above. Our time is no exception. Any educated person By turning to the thoughts of great philosophers, you can get pleasure similar to what you experience when listening to the divine creations of Bach, Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky. In philosophy, as in life, there is everything: tragic and funny, eternal and transitory. You just need to learn to understand the music of philosophy - then life will become different, professional and everyday problems will be resolved in a completely different way.”

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The aphorism “Who wants peace must prepare for war” has become famous. And although war itself is a thankless and bloody task, sometimes only it makes it possible to get what the country really needs. One of the first to understand and describe this was the ancient Chinese thinker Sun Tzu.

Historical evidence

In the 7th-4th centuries BC, China was divided into many kingdoms. In the center they were more developed, and on the coast they were barbaric. This time is traditionally called the period of "Spring and Autumn". At its end comes the rise of the kingdoms of Yue and Wu. It is at this stage that we find evidence of the military art of the talented commander and philosopher Sun Tzu. He was not popular at court, but when danger arose from the neighboring “treacherous” Chu, the ruler was offered a preventive war. The problem was the lack of trust in those commanders who served at the court of the ruler. Therefore, one of the ministers recommended inviting to the court someone who could organize an army and make a successful military campaign with it. This military leader was Sun Tzu.

First test

Helui Wang, ruler of Wu, held an interview with the invited military leader. Sun Tzu answered all his questions about strategy with quotes from his treatise. They were so comprehensive that it was impossible to see a single flaw. But the ruler wanted to see it in practice. And then the commander proposed Helui Wang’s harem, consisting of 300 concubines, as a model. They were divided into 2 detachments led by two beloved women of the prince, given uniforms and explained the essence of the orders. But the beauties only laughed and did not follow the commander’s orders. Then, according to the laws of war, Sun Tzu decided to execute the detachment commanders. Despite the ruler's protests, he personally carried out the sentence. After this, the female fighters unquestioningly and absolutely precisely followed all orders. Haluy Wang received an army ready to march, but the loss of his beloved concubines darkened the prince’s life. Nevertheless, he had to entrust the creation of the army of his kingdom to Sun Tzu, and he led it on campaigns.

Military successes

Among the many books proclaiming certain postulates, those whose authors were able to prove in practice the validity of their doctrines are of particular value. In this regard, Sun Tzu's treatise is impeccable. The army of 30 thousand soldiers he created managed to capture the treacherous kingdom of Chu and reach the territory of In. Further, by sending his troops to the north, the commander intimidated the powerful states of Qi and Jin. The appanage princes were in awe of his strength, skills and wisdom. Thanks to these campaigns, Lord Helui Wang became hegemon over the princes. But after the end of hostilities, Sun Tzu retired from the noisy court, because his destiny was war, and not court diplomatic games and intrigues. The ruler and his descendants were left with a book specially written for this purpose, “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu.

Dialectics of war

The philosophical and ideological basis of The Art of War is the eclecticism of Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism. Such a synthesis managed to show the war in its contradictions. On the one hand, war is the path of development, the soil of death and life, representing the great deeds of the state and the ruler. On the other hand, this is the path of lies and deception. War must be governed by five basic principles:

• unity of goals between the governing elite and the people;
• timeliness (tao of heaven);
• correspondence to space, place (dao of the earth);
• the presence of a commander who can fully combine such qualities as nobility, reliability and high skills;
• organization and discipline of the troops, strict adherence to existing laws.

At the same time, we must not forget that the main goal of war, as paradoxical as it may sound, is the prosperity of the population, the protection of the people’s trust in their ruler. Therefore, military operations must be fast, mobile and extremely effective. Starting from espionage and ending directly with a military campaign, everything must be thought out and subordinated to a great goal. A common expression is the following: “The ideal is a victory achieved without military action.”

Relevance of Sun Tzu's War Strategy

Despite the fact that more than two thousand years separate us from the time of Sun Tzu’s treatise, books by modern Eastern authors are not only in the field international politics, but also in the field of doing business, are imbued with his ideas. Business teachers believe that the laws of warfare have not changed, moving from the battlefield to offices, courts and meeting rooms. The ideas of achieving goals as quickly as possible and efficiency are at the core of modern business strategies. The main ones are: victory without a fight or at the beginning of a fight, softness and speed as elements of strength and the possibility of their use. Any competition, not just economic, requires the use of proven tactics and strategies, so getting acquainted with the treatise “The Art of War” will be interesting and useful for a wide range of readers - everyone who wants to achieve success in life.

If a state goes to war, it fights for its survival. Every effort must be made to understand the art of war. This knowledge must be used for planning. A general who plans carefully before battle will defeat one who does not. Before the battle, think and plan everything. You can predict victory or defeat in advance. Compare the opposing armies point by point:

1. Which of the two rulers of the warring states achieves such complete consent and obedience from his people that they will follow him until his death?
2. Which of the two generals is more talented?
3. Which side has the advantage under circumstances such as weather, terrain, and distances to be covered?
4. Which side enforces discipline more strictly?
5. Which side has a stronger army?
6. Which side has better trained soldiers and officers?
7. Which side is more consistent in the system of rewards and punishments that enforces discipline?

Compare the enemy's army with your own, find out the enemy's strengths and weaknesses. Plan according to your circumstances. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you will always be a winner.

Protect yourself from defeat and wait for opportunities to win

A successful strategist participates in battles only if he is confident in his victory - this protects him from defeat. And the unlucky one enters the battle and only then begins to think about how he can win. But even the most brilliant commander cannot say exactly when he will win. He must wait until the enemy makes a mistake and gives him an opportunity for victory.

To achieve victory there are rules:

1. You must know when to fight and when not to.
2. You must know how to fight stronger and weaker opponents.
3. Your army must have a strong, unified morale and discipline.
4. You must start the battle at a time when you are ready and the enemy is not.
5. You must have military power and the right to command your troops without interference from the ruler.

Be careful - attack when you have an advantage. Avoid your enemy where he is strong and attack where he is weak. Avoid the enemy army when its morale is high, its columns and banners are properly positioned, or when it has a more advantageous position, such as on high ground. Don't go into battle out of anger; you always have to fight for something. Your anger will disappear, but the destroyed state will not be reborn. Avoid enemy traps: do not lead your army into territory where supplies cannot be delivered, or where you do not know the terrain. Don't get involved with unfamiliar allies.

Rulers and generals can themselves cause defeat

The army is commanded by a general, and the general is the ruler. With his commands, the ruler can prevent the army from acting coherently. He may untimely give the command to attack or retreat; try to run the army as carelessly as the state; appoint officers to inappropriate positions. Mistakes can undermine soldiers' confidence and cause defeat.

Seven possible reasons for defeat due to the general’s fault:

1. An order to attack an enemy army ten times larger than your own, forcing your army to flee the battlefield.
2. Rudeness of soldiers towards officers, insubordination.
3. The weakness of soldiers is disrespect from officers and a drop in morale.
4. Indiscipline of senior officers, unauthorized attack without orders.
5. The weakness and indecision of the general is a weak, disorganized army.
6. Inability to correctly assess enemy forces.
7. Excessive concern for the comfort of his people, which hinders military tactics.

Save your resources through stratagems, foraging and espionage

Food, vehicles, clothing, weapons and ammunition for the army are expensive. A long war can exhaust the resources of any state, making it weak and vulnerable. Strive for quick and decisive victories rather than protracted military campaigns. Do not besiege fortified cities - this takes months of preparation.

The best way to reduce the cost of warfare is to capture enemy lands, cities, or armies intact rather than destroy them through costly battles. To do this, you need much greater forces than the enemy. The triumph of a skilled general is to subdue his enemies without a fight, through stratagems of war. Great fighters are distinguished by not just winning, but winning easily.

Save government resources by borrowing them from your enemy through local foraging and increase your own forces with enemy weapons, armor and soldiers. This saves the cost of supplying the army.

Engage intelligence officers: they obtain the most important information about the enemy, and also give them false secrets. Maintain friendly relations with your spies and reward them generously. Such a price would be very small compared to the protracted war they could help avoid. If you're basing a ploy on a secret a spy told you, kill him, as well as anyone he told the secret to, so your ploy doesn't lose its power.

Deceive your opponent and impose your will on him

The art of war is based on deception. Mask strength with weakness, courage with timidity, and order with disorganization. Confuse your opponent and let him act recklessly.

Let your troops pretend to be disorderly when in reality they are very disciplined. When you get close to the enemy, pretend you are far away. When you are able to attack, pretend you are not. Play with your enemy: if he is hot-tempered, irritate him, behave at ease, constantly disturb him. The enemy has a lot of supplies - make him starve; he calmly set up camp - make him leave.

If you want the enemy to attack, throw him some bait; If you want to force the enemy to retreat, defeat him. A smart fighter seizes the initiative and imposes his will on the enemy. Attack the enemy in weakly protected places so that he rushes to defend himself. Get him to open up so you can discover his vulnerabilities. Numerical weakness depends not only on numbers, but also on the need to be prepared for attack on many fronts.

Know the terrain and your enemy, then adapt

There are always positions that cannot be taken, roads that should not be taken, and commands from government that must be ignored. Adapt to the situation, terrain and enemy positioning. Study the area to take advantage of your natural advantages and avoid interference. To fight, do not climb to heights, go upstream or move away from water and shelter. Avoid steep cliffs, narrow passages or quagmires - in them a small army can destroy an entire army. Look for frightened birds or animals; they indicate an ambush.

Study the enemy. When soldiers stand leaning on their spears, it means they are suffering from hunger. When soldiers go for water and drink it themselves first, they suffer from thirst. And when they start eating their own livestock, forget to hang pots over camp fires, and act like they won't return to their tents, know that they are ready to fight to the death.

Adapt your tactics to the circumstances and take advantage of every opportunity as it arises.

Be strict with the troops, keep them in the dark and make them fight to the death

Management and control over a huge army is no different from managing a small one: you need to divide people into smaller groups, and then control your forces with the help of signals: gongs, drums, banners, signal fires. They will act as one: the coward will not dare to retreat, the brave will not stand guard alone.

An experienced general leads his army as if he were leading one man by the hand. Pamper your soldiers like sons, and they will stand by you to the death. But if you are not able to command them with authority, they will be as useless as spoiled children. Iron discipline is necessary among your soldiers. It is effective if your soldiers are attached to you. Treat them humanely, but keep them under control with discipline and punishment.

Keep your soldiers in the dark and change plans frequently to keep them and the enemy guessing. Change camp locations and take long, circuitous routes instead of short, straight ones. Reveal your cards only when you are deep in enemy territory.

When the situation looks rosy, tell your soldiers about it; deplorable - don’t talk about it. The further you penetrate into hostile territory, the more the soldiers will feel united. Put them in a desperate and hopeless situation, and they will lose their sense of fear and fight to the limit of their capabilities, to the death.

The most important

How to protect yourself from defeat and win?

• Planning, calculating and comparing armies leads to victory.
• Protect yourself from defeat and wait for opportunities to win.
• A war can be successful for a country only if defeat is not a consequence of the actions of its rulers and generals. === How to achieve an advantage over the enemy? ===

• Save your resources through stratagems, foraging, and espionage.
• Deceive your enemy and impose your will on him.
• Know the terrain and your enemy, then adapt accordingly.=== How to control troops? ===

To successfully wage a war, be strict with the troops, keep them in the dark and make them fight to the death.

"Art of War. The Laws of War of the Venerable Teacher Sun" is the most famous ancient Chinese treatise on the topic of military strategy and politics, the fundamental text of the "school of military philosophy." This treatise was used in warfare by such generals as Vo Nguyen Giap and Takeda Shingen, and is also used in military training in the US Army, including the Navy.

The author of the treatise is the strategist and military leader Sun Tzu. Initially, the treatise was dated to the end of the 6th - beginning of the 5th centuries BC, but after its expanded version was discovered in a burial at the beginning of the Han era in 1972, some researchers began to believe that it was created in the second half of the 5th BC . In any case, this treatise is a very important historical document, and it is great happiness that today every person has the opportunity to familiarize themselves with it.

Sun Tzu is a Chinese thinker and strategist who presumably lived in the 6th century BC. He served as a mercenary commander of Prince Ho Lu, who ruled in the kingdom of Wu, and managed to defeat the strongest kingdom of Chu and capture its capital city of Ying, as well as defeat the kingdoms of Jin and Qi. It was the merits of Sun Tzu that made the kingdom of Wu very powerful and allowed it to become part of civilized China.

Fulfilling the request of Prince Ho Lu, Sun Tzu wrote a treatise on the art of war, “The Art of War. The laws of war of the venerable teacher Sun,” after which he returned to his native kingdom of Qi, where he lived the rest of his days. By the way, many years later, members of the Sun clan - Sun Quan, Sun Ce and Sun Jian, who lived during the era of the Three Kingdoms, claimed descent from Sun Tzu.

Summary of the treatise “The Art of War. The laws of war of the venerable teacher Sun"

The treatise consists of thirteen chapters, each of which is devoted to a specific aspect of warfare. Below you can read some provisions of several sections of the treatise.

Preliminary calculations

War is an extremely important process in the life of any state, and in order to come to an understanding of its prospects, it is necessary to understand its five components and answer seven questions.

The five components of war are:

• “The Way” is the attitude of the people towards their ruler, trust in him, readiness to die for him. This includes human resources and that the ruler has
• “Sky” is the time that the warring party has at its disposal
• “Earth” - the disadvantages and advantages that the terrain provides the commander
• “Commander” - troops, his courage, impartiality and intelligence
• “Law” is everything directly related to troops: training, level of officers, etc.

Questions to answer:

• Which ruler has the most pronounced “Path”?
• Which commander can be called talented?
• Which generals already have experience in using “Heaven” and “Earth”?
• Whose army is the most disciplined?
• Whose army is better trained?
• Which commander better understands what is happening in his troops: who deserves a reward and who should be punished?

Waging war

In the process of waging war, it is necessary to conduct the most careful work, both obvious and transport, repair, and household. It is important to understand what harm should be expected from war in order to be able to assess the benefits that war will bring.

If the war drags on, then all the warring parties will suffer losses. A competent commander, who was able to correctly calculate the needs, recruits soldiers only once and stocks up with provisions.

Strategic attack

Battle and victory are far from the best that a ruler can do for his state, and it is much more competent to win a victory by avoiding battle altogether. The most effective way is to preserve the enemy’s state and its armed forces. The victorious without destruction, sieges and battles can count on much more than he originally had.

A ruler who controls an army can turn out to be a big problem for the entire state. And victory can be won if the commander knows how to choose the moment for battle and the moment when it needs to be avoided, is able to conduct battles using both large and small armies, knows how to wait and take advantage of the enemy’s negligence, and is able to independently control the army.

Form

It is important to be able to distinguish between victory and invincibility. Invincibility is the ability to preserve oneself, and therefore depends on the one who intends to be invincible. The ability to win is influenced by the enemy, based on which there are no guaranteed victories. Victory is associated with offense, and invincibility is associated with defense.

A smart leader initially calculates everything, and only after that enters into battle - this is the predetermination of his victory. An illiterate leader initially enters into battle, and only after that discusses what needed to be done to win - this is a predetermination of defeat.

Power

It is not so important whether the leader controls small detachments or numerous armies; the correct conduct of battle and the effectiveness of maneuver are much more important. If the battle is conducted correctly, an effective maneuver will be ensured, ensuring victory, because There are a great variety of combat options.

It is also important to take into account the power and degree of timing of the blow. Power is the collection and control of force, and calculation is the purpose. During a fight, power must correspond to the changing situation, and timing guarantees a lightning-fast attack.

Fullness and emptiness

The one who finds himself on the battlefield before the enemy saves a huge amount of strength, and the leader who sends troops into battle immediately after the end of the march will have to control a tired army, even if before that it was stronger than the enemy’s army.

The strong must be weakened, those who have provisions, the strengthened must be forced to move. To disorient the enemy, you must initially move in the direction in which he expects, and then change direction and go a different way. Even if there is no ambush along the long route, the army will arrive at the battlefield full of strength.

An effective attack requires attacking an unprotected area. Effective defense requires defending a place that is not attacked. When the enemy does not know where to attack and where to defend, he will scatter his forces.

Fight in the war

The struggle in time of war is difficult, and the most difficult thing in it is the ability to take advantage of disaster, and turn a roundabout way into a direct one. When moving along a roundabout path, it is necessary to distract the enemy, luring him with benefits, thereby forcing him to slow down. Fighting during war is dangerous, because trying to gain profit can lead to losses, and an army that does not have supplies is likely to die.

The importance of information cannot be overstated. If you do not know the intentions of potential allies, you should not enter into an agreement with them. If you do not know the situation and the terrain, it is impossible to send troops and achieve advantages on the ground.

Five dangers

Terrain features must always be taken into account. There is no need to set up a camp in the center of the off-road; there is no need to stand for a long time where there is no water, forest or natural shelter. In places where many paths connect, it is necessary to enter into alliances with neighbors in order to prevent a surprise attack on any of the paths.

The five dangers of a commander are:

• The desire to die at any cost - the commander can be killed
• The desire to survive at all costs - the commander can be captured
• - the commander may begin to despise
• Excessive sensitivity - a commander may be offended by too many things
• Excessive philanthropy - a commander can quickly become exhausted

These dangers are not just shortcomings of the commander, but also a disaster for the entire army.

Instead of a conclusion

Of course, we have mentioned only a few of the ideas that he talks about in his treatise “The Art of War. The laws of war of the venerable teacher Sun" Sun Tzu. But this has its advantage - the desire to study this unique work becomes even stronger, and this is far from accidental.

Two and a half thousand years is a long time for any book. And the book that has been used as a textbook by various people throughout this time is truly a unique case, unless, of course, we consider the various sacred scriptures. But even with them, “The Art of War” can compete in popularity - every paragraph of this book hides the invaluable experience of an outstanding philosopher and commander, which can be useful not only in war, but also in ordinary peaceful life.