Do not engage an enemy more powerful than you. And if it is unavoidable and you do have to engage, then make sure you engage it on your terms, not on your enemy's terms. Sun Tzu More Quotes by Sun Tzu More Quotes From Sun Tzu Bestow rewards without regard to rule, issue orders without regard to previous arrangements; and you will be able to handle a whole army as though you had to do with but a single man. Sun Tzu military war art Where the army is, prices are high; when prices rise the wealth of the people is exhausted. Sun Tzu exhausted army people Thus, though I have heard of successful military operations that were clumsy but swift, cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays. Sun Tzu military war art Place your army in deadly peril, and it will survive; plunge it into desperate straits, and it will come off in safety. Sun Tzu safety army war Now an army is exposed to six several calamities, not arising from natural causes, 1 but from faults for which the general is responsible. These are: (1) Flight; (2) insubordination; (3) collapse; (4) ruin; (5) disorganisation; (6) rout. Sun Tzu army war art The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy. Sun Tzu military war art On the field of battle, the spoken word does not carry far enough; hence the institution of gongs and drums... banners and flags. Gongs and drums, banners and flags, are means whereby the ears and eyes of the host may be focused on one particular point. Sun Tzu war mean art A clever general... avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods. Disciplined and calm, he awaits the appearance of disorder and hubbub among the enemy. This is the art of retaining self-possession. Sun Tzu clever war art Bestow rewards without respect to customary practice; publish orders without respect to precedent. Thus you may employ the entire army as you would one man. Sun Tzu army men war The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable. Sun Tzu military war art It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see the outward aspects, none understands the way in which I have created victory. Sun Tzu victory shapes doe Getting people to fight by letting the force of momentum work is like rolling logs and rocks. Logs and rocks are still when in a secure place, but roll on an incline; they remain stationary if square, they roll if round. Therefore, when people are skillfully led into battle, the momentum is like that of round rocks rolling down a high mountain - this is force. Sun Tzu rocks fighting squares If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight, even though the ruler forbid it; if fighting will not result in victory, then you must not fight even at the ruler's bidding. Sun Tzu victory fighting war All war is deception. Sun Tzu deception war 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. Sun Tzu army war art There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare. Sun Tzu instance army war One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all. Sun Tzu fighting war art If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory. Sun Tzu military war art Perfection in war lies in so sapping your opponents will that he surrenders without fighting. Sun Tzu fighting war lying If this is long delayed, weapons are blunted and morale depressed. Sun Tzu war long art
