Then no man, however wise, will be able to avert the consequences that must ensue.

Now, when your weapons are dulled, your ardor damped, your strength exhausted and your treasure spent, other chieftains will spring up to take advantage of your extremity. If you lay siege to a town, you will exhaust your strength.Īgain, if the campaign is protracted, the resources of the State will not be equal to the strain.

When you engage in actual fighting, if victory is long in coming, then men's weapons will grow dull and their ardor will be damped. Such is the cost of raising an army of 100,000 men. Sun Tzu said: In the operations of war, where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots, as many heavy chariots, and a hundred thousand mail-clad soldiers, with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li, the expenditure at home and at the front, including entertainment of guests, small items such as glue and paint, and sums spent on chariots and armor, will reach the total of a thousand ounces of silver per day. The way to insure peace is to increase the price of war (for your opponents). But also make sure that if you are forced to fight, that you will win and they will lose - and that all who go against you in war, will not wish to do so ever again. Make sure everyone knows that you want peace (and to avoid fights). This is not the last battle ever to be fought - and some actions are for the future. Make sure those that aide you are appreciated and remembered, and make sure those that oppose you never forget. When using resources (emotional, spiritual or physical) make sure you are using the opponents resources (whatever those resources are) - use his energy against him - that not only costs him, but it also saves you those resources (reserves). Go over the opponent, go around opponent or go through the opponent, but get to the end! The entire focus of the individual or state (in conflict) must be to win this conflict quickly because the only kindness that can be offered once a conflict is starting, is to end it (and stop what is happening).

Every move must have a purpose, every action must be to end the conflict quickly and decisively (no one wins when conflict is prolonged). Because of the high costs, you should avoid 'war' (emotional, spiritual or physical) if possible - and when it can not be avoided, the only thing you can do is win as quickly as possible (to minimizze the costs of prolonged battle). War is a battle that you must win in order to survive (long term) - therefor the battle must be absolute, and almost any cost must be paid. Chapter 2 - Waging War Art of War : Intro - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - ConclusionĪny battle (conflict) has a high price - you need to know that ahead of time.

Art of war 2