The Art of War by Sun Tzu (elon musk reading list TXT) 📕

In war, the general receives his commands from the sovereign, collects his army and concentrates his forces.401

When in difficult country, do not encamp.402 In country where high roads intersect, join hands with your allies.403 Do not linger in dangerously isolated positions.404 In hemmed-in situations, you must resort to stratagem.405 In a desperate position, you must fight.406

There are roads which must not be followed,407 armies which must not be attacked,408 towns409 which must not be besieged,410 positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.411

The general who thoroughly understands the advantages that accompany variation of tactics knows how to handle his troops.412

The general who does not understand these, may be well acquainted with the configuration of the country, yet he will not be able to turn his knowledge to practical account.413

So, the student of war who is unversed in the art of varying his plans, even though he be acquainted with the Five Advantages, will fail to make the best use of his men.414

Hence in the wise leader’s plans, considerations of advantage and of disadvantage will be blended together.415

If our expectation of advantage be tempered in this way, we may succeed in accomplishing the essential part of our schemes.416

If, on the other hand, in the midst of difficulties we are always ready to seize an advantage, we may extricate ourselves from misfortune.417

Reduce the hostile chiefs by inflicting damage on them;418 and make trouble for them,419 and keep them constantly engaged;420 hold out specious allurements, and make them rush to any given point.421

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;422 not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.423

There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general:

Recklessness, which leads to destruction;424

cowardice, which leads to capture;425

a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults;426

a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame;427

over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.428

These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinous to the conduct of war.

When an army is overthrown and its leader slain, the cause will surely be found among these five dangerous faults. Let them be a subject of meditation.

IX The Army on the March429

Sun Tzǔ said: We come now to the question of encamping the army, and observing signs of the enemy.430 Pass quickly over mountains,431 and keep in the neighborhood of valleys.432

Camp in high places,433 facing the sun.434 Do not climb heights in order to fight.435 So much for mountain warfare.436

After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.437

When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet it in midstream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.438

If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.439

Moor your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun.440 Do not move upstream to meet the enemy.441 So much for river warfare.

In crossing salt-marshes, your sole concern should be to get over them quickly, without any delay.442

If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, you should have water and grass near you, and get your back to a clump of trees.443 So much for operations in salt-marshes.

In dry, level country, take up an easily accessible position444 with rising ground to your right and on your rear,445 so that the danger may be in front, and safety lie behind.446 So much for campaigning in flat country.

These are the four useful branches of military knowledge447 which enabled the Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.448

All armies prefer high ground to low,449 and sunny places to dark.

If you are careful of your men,450 and camp on hard ground,451 the army will be free from disease of every kind,452 and this will spell victory.

When you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the sunny side, with the slope on your right rear. Thus you will at once act for the benefit of your soldiers and utilize the natural advantages of the ground.

When, in consequence of heavy rains upcountry, a river which you wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam, you must wait until it subsides.453

Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running between,454 deep natural hollows,455 confined places,456 tangled thickets,457 quagmires458 and crevasses,459 should be left with all possible speed and not approached.

While we keep away from such places, we should get the enemy to approach them; while we face them, we should let the enemy have them on his rear.

If in the neighborhood of your camp460 there should be any