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The Art of War in Plain English
The Art of War in Plain English
The Art of War in Plain English
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The Art of War in Plain English

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This digital edition of Sun Tzu’s masterpiece ‘The Art of War’ has been considerably simplified from the original 1910 translation by Lionel Giles.

The lengthy and often laborious footnotes have been done away with, and clarifications where appropriate have been included in Master Sun’s text, retaining its original charm and delightful use of language.

This is not a large book (just over 10,000 words) because it need not be. Every slender sentence contains a lifetime of expertise.

Although ‘The Art of War’ is best known as the superlative military treatise, its wisdom has carried far beyond into almost every area of life and is considered one of the very finest instructional manuals of all time.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherSun Tzu
Release dateFeb 15, 2012
ISBN9781466019706
The Art of War in Plain English
Author

Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu or Sunzi, was an ancient Chinese military strategist believed to be the author of the acclaimed military text, The Art of War. Details about Sun Tzu’s background and life are uncertain, although he is believed to have lived c. 544-496 BCE. Through The Art of War, Sun Tzu’s theories and strategies have influenced military leaders and campaigns throughout time, including the samurai of ancient and early-modern Japan, and more recently Ho Chi Minh of the Viet Cong and American generals Norman Swarzkopf, Jr. and Colin Powell during the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s.

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    The Art of War in Plain English - Sun Tzu

    Introduction

    This edition of Sun Tzu’s masterpiece ‘The Art of War’ has been considerably simplified from the original 1910 translation by Lionel Giles.

    The lengthy and often laborious footnotes have been done away with and clarifications have been included in Master Sun’s text, retaining its original charm and delightful use of language.

    Every slender sentence contains a lifetime of expertise.

    Although ‘The Art of War’ is best known as the superlative military treatise, its wisdom has carried far beyond into almost every area of life and it is considered one of the very finest instructional manuals of all time.

    SUN TZU is thought to have been born in the late Spring and Autumn Period of China (722–481 BC) and to have been an active general and strategist serving the King of Wu around 512 BC. Sun Tzu’s ‘The Art of War’ is the most widely read military treatises in the world and essential reading for soldiers, strategists, politicians, business executives, and all those determined to succeed in life.

    Table of Contents:

    Introduction

    1. Laying Plans

    2. Waging War

    3. Attack by Subterfuge

    4. Tactical Dispositions

    5. Energy

    6. Weak Points and Strong

    7. Manoeuvring

    8. Variation in Tactics

    9. The Army on the March

    10. Terrain

    11. The Nine Situations

    12. The Attack by Fire

    13. The Use of Spies

    1. Laying Plans

    1/1 Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.

    1/2 It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. It is a subject which must not be neglected.

    1/3 The art of war is governed by five constant factors:

    The Moral Influence

    Weather

    Terrain

    Command

    Method and Discipline

    1/4 The Moral Influence means the people must be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, unperturbed by danger.

    1/5 Weather signifies night and day, times of day, cold and heat, and the seasons.

    1/6 Terrain comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.

    1/7 Command stands for the five virtues of a general:

    Wisdom Sincerity Humanity Courage Strictness

    1/8 These five virtues should be familiar to every general. He who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.

    1/9 Method and Discipline are the marshalling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

    1/10 When seeking to determine the military conditions, compare the following:

    Which of the two leaders has the support of his subjects?

    Which of the two generals has most ability?

    With whom lies the advantage of Terrain?

    On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?

    Which army is stronger?

    On which side are officers and men more highly trained?

    Which army operates the greater system of justice, in that good deeds are rewarded and misdeeds fairly punished.

    1/11 By means of these seven considerations, victory or defeat can be forecast.

    1/12 The general that understands these rules

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