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ОглавлениеBOOK ONE
The Art of War By Sun Tsu
The Art of War by Sun Tsu is the most widely read among bukeinanasho (seven books on military strategy). This book is known to be written by Sun Tsu, a military strategist who lived more than 2,500 years ago. Sun Tsu was a military commander who served Koryo, the king of Go (514–496 BC). This book is based on the following premises: one should win without fighting; one should not fight when prospects of winning are poor; and one should utilize a weak force to overcome a powerful force. The book is about pursuing this military strategy.
This section will attempt to convey the gist of Sun Tsu’s work.
About Sun Tsu
One day, Koryo, the king of Go, requested Sun Tsu to train soldiers. One hundred and eighty beautiful ladies of the Imperial Court were recruited and divided into two groups. Two of the king’s favorite women were appointed as group leaders. Sun Tsu had all the women carry a pike. He instructed them to look at the chest when he said “front,” the left hand when he said “left,” the right hand when he said “right,” and the back when he said “back.” He explained the procedure and repeated this exercise. Once he started beating the drum and said “right,” the women began to laugh. Sun Tsu said, “It was my fault that the women did not understand my instructions.” After explaining how to do it and repeating the exercise again, he gave a command once more. When he said “left” as he beat the drum, the women started laughing again and failed to carry out the command. He said, “The first time was my fault, but this time, it is different. It is the group leaders’ fault that the command is not being relayed, despite the fact that the women all understand what the command means,” and attempted to strike down the two leaders with a sword. When the king tried to intervene, Sun Tsu explained as follows and struck down the two female leaders: “I am the commander. When the commander is fulfilling his military duties, he may not always be able to follow the king’s orders.” Sun Tsu then appointed two other beautiful ladies as their successors. When he gave a command, the women carried it out in an orderly manner. Sun Tsu said to the king, “Training of soldiers has been completed. If ordered, the soldiers will jump into the water or fire. Please give it a try.” The king replied, “There is no need for that,” and recognized Sun Tsu’s exceptional ability as strategist and hired him as military commander.
Shikei (Basic Planning)
Shikei (Basic Planning)
Shikei refers to basic planning needed to initiate a move. This chapter discusses the five criteria for winning a battle, in an attempt to prevent frivolous wars.
Basic Military Power
The outcome of war can determine the fate of people and the nation’s existence. Whether or not to go to war must be carefully considered. In order to win a war, five basic conditions should be taken into account: path, heaven, land, leadership, and law.
Path refers to principles or policies. Only when intentions of the people and their sovereign coincide, the people will be willing to share their fate with the sovereign without being afraid of danger. This is a prerequisite to following the path to victory.
Heaven refers to situations or timing. This condition includes weather, season, occasion, and timing.
Land refers to environmental factors. This condition includes geographical factors such as distance, ruggedness, width, and height.
Leadership refers to a leader’s qualifications. This condition includes a leader’s virtuous qualities such as ingenuity, loyalty, benevolence, courage, and dignity.
Law refers to organization, discipline, and equipment. This condition includes military structure, discipline, and readiness in terms of equipment.
In order to determine if the above five conditions are met, you should examine your prospects by considering the seven comparisons below.
Which side has a better political system?
Which side has better commanders?
Which side enjoys more favorable situational and geographical factors?
Which side enforces the law more thoroughly?
Which side is stronger militarily?
Which side has better-trained soldiers?
Which side has a fairer system of reward and punishment?
When conditions are favorable to you, you must solidify your position by reinforcing the advantageous factors. You should also put more effort into enhancing the basic conditions. Since the basic conditions are constantly changing, you should be able to adapt yourself to any change in circumstances. Your response to the situation should change accordingly. There is no need to adhere to basic rules. If conditions are right, you will win; otherwise, you will lose. Do not fight when prospects of winning are poor.
To Fight is to Deceive
Flexibility is required in a battle. The key to victory is to focus on the enemy’s weaknesses and to take them by surprise.
1. Move closer while pretending to be moving away.
2. Hide your competence and feign incompetence.
3. Make something essential appear unnecessary.
4. Move away while pretending to be moving closer.
5. Lure your opponent by falsely showing that conditions are advantageous to him.
6. Defeat your adversary by creating confusion.
7. When things are going well for the enemy, withdraw and reposition yourself.
8. Avoid a head-on clash with powerful enemies.
9. Exhaust your opponent by infuriating him.
10. Throw the enemy off guard by keeping a low profile.
11. When your opponent is at rest, cause a commotion to exhaust him.
12. When the enemy demonstrates solidarity, break them apart.
A good strategy is to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses and take them by surprise. A strategy should not be predetermined in advance; rather, it should be adapted to changing circumstances.
Prospects
• Whether or not you will win depends on your prospects.
• Those who do not carefully examine their chances of winning will not win.
• If your prospects are excellent, you will win.
• When conditions are right, you will win; when conditions are not right, you will lose.
• When conditions are unfavorable, you cannot expect to win.
• Avoid fighting when your prospects are poor.
Tactics
When devising military tactics, plan for a quick war with meticulous preparations, which can achieve full effects with minimal sacrifice.
Short war
Since the cost of war can be enormous, you should strive to end the war quickly. Why do you need to end it quickly?
In a prolonged battle, troops must be mobilized on a large scale to provide logistic support for weapons and soldiers, and long-distance transportation of supplies will be needed.
An all-out war requires massive military spending domestically and internationally. Entertaining diplomatic envoys and supplying military goods, vehicles, and weapons will cost an enormous amount of money each day. A protracted war will not only exhaust troops and undermine their morale, but also make them prone to mistakes. Furthermore, such a war may ruin the national finances.
Depletion of national wealth will give other nations an opportunity to take advantage of the situation. When national wealth is depleted, no wise men will be able to fix the problem. There are successful examples of short war, but there are no such examples of prolonged war. Lengthy military campaigns will not bring any benefits to the nation.
Procurement
War can ruin national power because it requires long-distance transportation of military goods. This can place a heavy burden on people, cause inflation, and impoverish the nation. People will suffer from heavy taxation, leading to exhaustion of national power. Seventy percent of national income will go toward military spending, and sixty percent of the national budget will be lost due to military losses. A wise monarch avoids repeated transportation of additional weapons, troops, and goods long distances. He procures equipment in his home country and other goods locally in the enemy territory. Food procured locally in the hostile territory is worth as much as twenty times the food imported from the home country, saving transportation costs.
Compensation gained as a result of war is acceptable, but looting of the houses of local people to procure goods is unacceptable. Goods must be purchased at a fair price. When in the enemy territory, do not lay even a finger on the belongings of local people. Speak to them politely and calmly; do not strike or intimidate them.
Selling and buying should be done fairly. Return borrowed items. Pay for any damage done to people’s property. Do not damage agricultural crops. Do not terrorize women. Do not abuse prisoners of war. The act of looting in the enemy territory will result in the loss of support of local people. Strict discipline among troops will earn the trust of local people.
Victory enhances your power
• Provoke the feeling of antagonism toward the enemy among your troops.
• What drives soldiers to take up arms is the will to fight.
• The will to fight can be heightened by reward.
• Soldiers need to be assured that they will be recompensed for their achievements.
• Soldiers who render distinguished service should be the first to be rewarded.
• When you seize the enemy’s equipment, switch the banners to yours and have your soldiers utilize the equipment. Prisoners of war should be treated kindly and incorporated into your military force so that winning a battle makes you even stronger.
• A war must be won. A protracted conflict should be avoided and a battle should be finished swiftly. Only a commander who understands this reality is qualified to be entrusted with the nation’s security and people’s lives.
Ki-saku (Trick)
Boko (Strategic Off ense)
War is not an end in itself; the means is the end. The best victory is to win without fighting.
The best victory
• The best victory is to force your opponent to surrender without harming him.
• The best strategy is to force your opponent to surrender without fighting him.
• Forcing your adversary to surrender by defeating him is the second best strategy.
• Even if you win 100 out of 100 battles, it is not the best strategy.
• The best tactic is to contain your adversary by seeing through his intentions in advance.
• The second best tactic is to break up the enemy’s alliance to isolate them.
• The third best tactic is to engage in battle.
• The fourth best tactic is to attack the enemy’s castle. This should be the last resort, when everything else fails.
• Attacking the castle entails elaborate preparations and sacrifice of soldiers. Your efforts may prove futile. A capable military commander can make the enemy surrender without resorting to force. He can capture their castle without attacking it.
• Secondly, the commander can defeat the enemy by fighting a short battle.
• Thirdly, the commander can prevail by gaining the support of the enemy without harming them.
• Fourthly, the commander can pull off a perfect victory while preserving the strength of armed forces.
Military tactics
• When your military strength is ten times as powerful as the enemy’s, encircle the enemy.
• When your military strength is five times as powerful as the enemy’s, attack the enemy.
• When your military strength is twice as powerful as the enemy’s, split up the enemy.
• When your military strength is the same as the enemy’s, make an all-out effort.
• When your military strength is inferior to the enemy’s, withdraw your troops.
• Do not fight a losing battle.
Those who fight without any regard to the above principles will become easy prey for the enemy. Retreat should be a means to prepare for counter-attack.
The Meddlesome Sovereign
When the military commander and the sovereign are on good terms, the country will be powerful; when they are on bad terms, the country will weaken. Unnecessary interference in military affairs by the sovereign may lead to a military crisis.
The following are the examples of unnecessary interference by the monarch:
1. Ordering troops to advance or retreat when it is inappropriate to do so. The military will be shackled by such orders.
2. Interfering in military affairs without having intimate knowledge of the internal workings of the military. This will plant the seeds of distrust in the armed forces.
When the monarch creates confusion and distrust among military personnel, other nations may take advantage of the situation and attack. Unnecessary interference by the monarch is a suicidal act.
Know Yourself and your Adversary
Knowing your adversary and yourself will ensure victory in 100 battles.
Requirements for victory:
1. You must have the ability to determine whether or not to fight after assessing the enemy’s military power.
2. You must be able to fight according to your military strength.
3. The sovereign and his subjects should pursue the same goal.
4. You must have the ability to make thorough preparations and take advantage of the enemy’s vulnerability.
5. The military commander must be competent. For the commander to be competent, the monarch should not interfere with the commander’s control.
6. Victory is certain when you know your enemy and yourself.
7. The odds of winning are 50-50 when you know yourself but not your enemy.
8. Defeat is inevitable when you know neither yourself nor your enemy.
Gunkei (Military Format)
The top priority in battle is to launch an attack with minimal effort by finding the enemy’s weak points after building an unbeatable defense.
It is foolish to rely on soldiers’ valor on the battlefield. Gunkei (format) is useless if it is fixed. Defense is useless if it is fixed. A great feat can be accomplished only when you are able to adapt your tactics to the enemy like water.
In the past, skillful warriors prevailed without flaunting their military acumen, and no one praised their valor. Such victory was pursued by good fighters.
Waiting for the Enemy to Collapse
An expert warrior in the past strengthened his position first, and waited for his opponent to start revealing his flaws.
Whether or not you remain undefeated depends on the state of your troops. Whether or not you have a chance of winning depends on the state of enemy troops.
Skilled fighters can enhance their invincibility, but they cannot create invincible conditions.
Even when victory is expected, victory is not always certain. Fortifying defense and attacking the enemy’s weaknesses will not guarantee victory; however, at least it can help strengthen your position to remain unbeaten.
A skillful fighter’s strategy is to wait for his adversary to start revealing his failings. If your defense is flawless, the enemy will not be able to strike. If the enemy seems faultless, focus on reinforcing your troops and avoid carrying out unnecessary attacks. Make sure to strengthen defense before launching an attack.
Offense and Defense
When conditions required for victory do not exist, reinforce your defense. When the chance of winning is high, go on the offensive.
When you are on the defensive, you are losing. When you are on the offensive, you are winning. When on the defensive, good warriors preserve troop strength to guard against the enemy. When on the offensive, good warriors attack swiftly without giving their opponents a chance to defend themselves. By doing this, such warriors can secure complete victory without suffering any damage.
A competent commander does not make a mistake in determining whether to go on the offensive or defensive. Caution is important, but excessive caution may lead to overemphasis on defense. Conversely, excessive boldness may lead to inattentiveness.
The Best Victory
A victory that is obvious to everyone is not the best victory. A victory that draws public praise is not the best victory. A person who can lift a hair is not considered mighty. A person who can see the sun and moon is not considered to have keen eyesight. A person who can hear the sound of thunder is not considered to have acute hearing. Even an ordinary person can do such things naturally. This constitutes the publicly-praised best victory.
Skillful fighters in the past won a battle naturally. Even when they won, their ingenuity was inconspicuous, and their valor was not applauded. Such warriors always prevailed. Every move they made was successful, making no significant errors. The reason for their success was that they chose to fight those who were destined to lose.
Good fighters place their troops in a position that guarantees invincibility. They never fail to detect a flaw in the enemy’s move. As can be seen, only those who are fully prepared to claim victory will succeed. A good monarch first undertakes a political reform. He then strictly enforces the law to make preparations needed to secure victory.
Those who scramble to seize a chance to win after going into battle will suffer defeat.
Four Factors that Determine the Outcome of Battle
The outcome of battle is determined by land area, size of resources, population size, and military power. When the ratio of total power between your country and the enemy nation is 500 to 1, victory will be certain. Any commander can then win without much effort.
Advance calculation and comprehensive assessment are needed to ensure victory; otherwise, defeat is inevitable. Like stopped-up water rapidly falling into a deep ravine, you can overwhelm your opponents.
Heisei (Status of the Military)
Masterly warriors place emphasis on giving momentum to military organization. Momentum can double or even triple the power of an organization. To fight is to skillfully combine ki (unconventional) and sei (conventional) to gain momentum in battle. There are an infinite number of such combinations. The key to victory is to apply such combinations to achieve military objectives.
Military formation, control, conventional and unconventional methods
In order to control large units as if they were small units, reorganize the units by dividing them into proper groups. To have the large units fight in unity like small units, firmly establish the chain of command.
We use a stone to break an egg. Likewise, to ensure victory, we need to use mi (substance), which represents effective military power, to attack kyo (void), which represents weak points. A commander skilled at using ki (unconventional methods) is able to successfully adapt his tactics to the particular time and situation. Such tactics will be infinite like the flow of a big river and endless like heaven and earth. Such a commander disappears and reemerges like the sun and the moon. He vanishes and reappears like four seasons. Such flexible tactics are needed for the entire military to gain the upper hand over the enemy.
There are only five basic musical scales, but an infinite number of variations is possible when they are combined. Also, colors and flavors can be combined to create an unlimited number of variations. Likewise, there are a countless number of possible combinations of ki (conventional) and sei (unconventional), both of which constitute military tactics. Since the possibilities are endless, no one can ever know all of them.
Momentum
Gain momentum rather than acquiring useless knowledge. When water is held back, it will eventually form a torrent and wash away boulders. There lies the momentum.
A raptor crushes its prey with one stroke. There lies the explosive force.
When a bow is drawn fully, an accumulated force will be released as momentum, instantly transforming itself into explosive force. Such an accumulated force is destructive.
Control
When there is confusion and chaos on the battlefield, order can quickly turn into disorder. Whether there will be order or disorder depends on control.
Bravery can change into cowardice. Whether there will be bravery or cowardice depends on momentum. Strength can easily be transformed into weakness. Whether there will be strength or weakness depends on circumstances.
Warriors skilled at strategizing pressure their opponents to make a move. Such warriors put out the bait to lure their opponents, who will be tempted by a chance to benefit themselves. Once they take the bait, such warriors waste no time in overwhelming them with powerful military strength.
When there is confusion on the battlefield, do not allow soldiers to fall into disarray. Even when there is chaos on the battlefield, never let your guard down.
Seek Momentum Instead of Assistance
Logs and stones are stationary when placed on a flat surface. When they are placed on a slope, they will start moving naturally. Angular objects remain still; round objects roll over. To fight with momentum is to let the round stones roll swiftly into the bottom of a canyon.
Masterful fighters stress the importance of gaining momentum. They do not expect much from each soldier; rather, they value the momentum of the armed forces as a whole. They focus on uniting the entire military and building up momentum.
Seek momentum instead of assistance. Rather than asking for help, swim with the current of the times.
Substance and Void
Like the flow of water, the war situation does not take on a particular shape. To gain advantage in battle, you need to take control and manipulate your adversary at will.
Be the first to arrive on the scene. Break up enemy forces. Avoid powerful enemies and attack weak points. To fight is to focus on substance and void.
Control
Good warriors strive to take control of the situation.
First, entice the enemy by making them believe that the situation is in their favor. To prevent the enemy from readying themselves for war, keep them from believing that the situation is against them.
When your opponent is at rest, do whatever is necessary to confuse and exhaust him. When your opponent is eating well, block the food supply to starve him. When your opponent is calm, initiate a scheme to distress him. When your opponent is on the offensive, outsmart him by launching an unexpected attack.
You will be able to fight with composure if you arrive first on the battlefield, waiting for the enemy’s arrival. Conversely, you will struggle if you arrive late on the scene to confront enemy forces awaiting you.
To fight is to turn the tables. To ensure victory, strike the enemy at places where defense is vulnerable. When on the defensive, defend spots that are difficult for the enemy to attack.
When on an expedition to the hostile territory, choose a route free of enemy forces. When confronted by good offense, it may be difficult to know where to defend. When confronted by good defense, it may be difficult to know where to attack. To take control is to be able to implement this strategy at will.
When you do not want to fight, make your opponent unable to fight. Use unconventional tactics to throw him into confusion. Conversely, when you want to fight, strike at places your opponent cannot ignore.
To gain control, your opponent’s power must be shifted toward you. Take control of the situation by using your opponent’s power, rather than resorting to force. War is a struggle for control. When troops lose control after being forced to act defensively, they will lose freedom of action and suffer defeat.
Convergence and Dispersion
The size of armed forces is not an absolute measurement of strength; what matters is the condition of your troops and enemy forces.
When the opposition’s next move is not known, your troops will have to be stretched thin to cover vast regions. Conversely, this means that when the size of your troops is large, you can disperse enemy troops by concealing your next move.
If enemy troops are forced to stay in one place with the possibility of being attacked from any direction, they have no choice but to split up.
If you can follow the opposition’s every step without allowing them to know your next move, this will force the other side to divert their resources. Once enemy troops are scattered, you will have fewer soldiers to confront.
When the front is reinforced, the rear becomes vulnerable. When the rear is reinforced, the front becomes vulnerable. When all sides are reinforced, all sides become vulnerable.
Victory is the result of human efforts; victory is not the result of a natural course of action. Even when you are outnumbered and eclipsed by enemy forces, you can disable them through the tactics of convergence and dispersion. You can turn the tables by having your troops converge while at the same time dispersing enemy forces.
Knowing where and when fighting will take place before the enemy does ensures victory, even after travelling for 1,000 ri (250 miles).
Lack of this knowledge makes it impossible for soldiers to cooperate. Such information is crucial especially when you are on a military expedition.
Being Able to Change Flexibly
There are four requirements for victory. That is to say, there are four ways to gather information about the enemy.
1. Examine the war situation to assess who is stronger.
2. Entice the enemy into making a move.
3. Provoke the enemy into action to identify the geographically vital spots that can decide their fate.
4. Cause a skirmish to determine the strong and weak points of the enemy.
In times of war, it is of utmost importance to never allow the opposition to know your war plans. With this policy in place, even if enemy spies infiltrated into your troops on the battlefield, they would not find anything valuable. Even if commanders of enemy forces were ingenuous, they would not be able to attack and prevail.
Ordinary people may have difficulty understanding the fact that adjusting war plans to the condition of the enemy will bring victory. Ordinary people may eventually find out that success is attributed to the military strategy adopted by troops. However, it may be hard for them to understand that rejection of inflexible plans and adoption of flexible attitudes have resulted in success. It is important to remember that plans can be modified in countless ways depending on whom you are fighting with.
It is wrong to repeat the same strategy that was successful before. You should maintain your mobility.
Like Water
War plans should be like the flow of water. Water flows from a high place to a low place. Water lacks definite shape; likewise, war lacks definite plans. Avoid attacking the enemy’s strong points and strike them at their weak points.
Good military tactics is to win by adapting to the enemy’s war plans. It is comparable to the changing laws of nature. The five classical elements of wood, fire, earth, gold, and water interact with each other to change everything in nature. Seasonal transitions, change in daylight hours, waxing and waning of the moon. These are all fluid. Water changes its shape to fit any container. War plans must be the same. They should be fluid.
Hayate (A swift wind)
Gunso (Preparations for War)
Gunso refers to preparations for war. In order to succeed in a battle, you need to deceive the adversary nation and disturb their judgment. For this to work, you must act, respond, and change under favorable circumstances.
One of the requirements for victory is to maintain morale. Combine sei (conventional) and ki (unconventional), and movement and stillness to win effectively. When you are on the defensive under favorable circumstances, assume an imposing posture and do not let your opponents get the upper hand. When on the offensive, attack swiftly and decisively.
More Haste, Less Speed
A war begins when a military commander organizes armed forces under the order of the sovereign. He then positions his troops to confront the enemy. The difficult part is how to fight the subsequent battle and create conditions that will bring victory. Give a false sense of security to the other side by intentionally taking a detour, so that you can arrive at the destination before the enemy and turn disadvantages into advantages. However, it may be difficult to pull this off.
Depart for the destination later than enemy troops to trick them into thinking they are safe. Lack of interruption by the other side should enable your troops to arrive early. Like this, do something unconventional to throw your opponents off guard and attack. The psychological impact of such an unexpected move is even bigger.
Creating the conditions needed for victory entails danger. Having to transport heavy equipment and deploy the entire armed forces for combat at the same time may make it difficult to keep up with enemy troops. On the other hand, rushing to the destination without proper equipment will leave behind the transportation units. If soldiers are forced to march to the battlefield day and night without sufficient sleep, there may be disastrous consequences. Only the strongest soldiers will make it to the combat zone, leaving behind weak ones. Only one-tenth of the soldiers will arrive on the battleground to fight the enemy.
When you are on a 50- ri (125 mile) expedition, only half of troops will make it to the battlefield, and the leader of the first unit to arrive on the scene will be slain. Likewise, when you are on a 30- ri (75 mile) expedition, you will be forced to fight with only two-thirds of your troops.
Your troops will lose without the support of logistics units. Your troops will lose without food and other supplies.
To strategize is to deceive. Techniques of deception will emerge from careful observation of the laws of nature. If you want to shrink something, stretch it first. If you want to weaken something, strengthen it first. If you want to take something, give first.
It is difficult to succeed in diplomatic negotiations if you are not current on the latest developments in other nations. It is impossible to advance your troops if you are not familiar with the terrain of the adversary nation. It is impossible to take advantage of favorable geographical conditions without a local guide.
Shin-ki-ryoku-hen (Shin: Heart; Ki: Spirit; Ryoku: Strength; Hen: Change)
The objective of strategic operations is to deceive. To deceive your opponents, proceed under favorable circumstances. Troop strength should be adapted to changing situations.
A strategic operation must be carried out like a gale; be quiet like a forest; attack like a raging fire; remain absolutely still like a mountain; roar like thunder after disappearing into the dark night. This is how a strategic operation should be undertaken.
To fight is to attack the enemy’s villages, seize manpower, and capture physical resources controlled by the enemy. To achieve these goals, any action you take should be based on accurate judgment. Give your opponents a false sense of security by doing something unconventional. Be the first to implement offensive strategy. By meeting the requirements for victory, you will win.
Managing Large Numbers of People
According to ancient books on the art of war, when trying to control a large number of soldiers, commanders used drums to signal because it was difficult for troops to hear oral instructions. They are said to have used banners as signs to make it easier for soldiers who were too far out to see well. The purpose of using these objects was to unite the ears and eyes of soldiers. To unify massive troops, do not allow self-serving behavior. Make sure that cowards do not run away. This is the secret to managing a large number of people. An organization can function properly only when people obey orders and act in an orderly fashion. When confronted with troops organized in such a way, the morale of enemy forces will be undermined, effectively disturbing the minds of enemy commanders.
Mind, ki (Energy), Power, Change
A capable commander prevails by understanding morale, psychology, military power, and change.
1. Morale – People are usually filled with energy in the morning. By noon, people become somewhat lethargic, and try to get some rest in the afternoon. The same is true for the morale of soldiers. Good combatants avoid fighting when the morale of their adversaries is high, waiting for a chance to strike when the morale is low. This is called taking control of ki.
2. Mind – Prepare your troops for a battle while waiting for the enemy to fall into disorder. During that period, keep a low profile and wait for the other side to make a move. This is called understanding the “mind” of the enemy.
3. Military power – Station your troops at an advantageous location and wait for adversaries traveling from distant places. During that period, take sufficient rest and wait for your opponents to become exhausted. Keep your troops well fed and wait for the enemy to be starved. This is called sapping the “power” of the enemy.
4. Change – Deploy powerful troops and prepare for a battle. Avoid a head-on clash with the enemy on the offensive. This is called taking control of the “change.”
Basic Rules to Follow
There are basic rules to be followed and to be avoided in battle. There are two sides to everything. You should be able to discern the different sides. Try to identify the underlying laws of progress; it will be the first step toward victory.
1. Do not attack enemy troops stationed on higher ground.
2. Do not attack enemy troops positioned with their backs against a hill.
3. Do not pursue opponents taking flight intentionally.
4. Do not attack adversaries full of aggression.
5. Do not jump on soldiers acting as a decoy.
6. Do not stand in the way of opponents who are on their way home.
7. Before surrounding enemy troops, make sure to secure an escape route.
8. Do not approach adversaries driven into a corner.
Opponents without a way out may launch a frenzied counterattack. This can cause significant damage. The same can be said for personal relationships. When an adult is driven into a corner, he may eventually strike back fiercely and viciously. When a child is driven into a corner, he may choose to take his life.
Kyu-hen (Nine Changes)
Kyu-hen refers to adaptability in war situations. Even if you are armed with knowledge of great principles, the knowledge alone will not be sufficient to secure victory. As a military commander, you need to know how to respond flexibly. Adherence to inflexible thinking will inevitably result in failure. Success requires a flexible, well-balanced way of thinking.
Five rules commanders should follow on the battleground
1. There are paths that should not be taken. Do not station your troops at a disadvantageous location.
2. There are enemies that should not be attacked. In a region under the influence of multiple nations, diplomatic negotiations should be emphasized.
3. There are castles that should not be besieged. Once you have penetrated deep into the hostile territory, avoid lingering in the same spot for a long time.
4. There are territories that should not be seized. If unable to move freely after being surrounded by enemy forces, use a clever scheme to find a way out.
5. There are orders that should not be obeyed. When in a life-threatening situation, fighting courageously is the only option. When a golden opportunity is presented before their eyes, people will jump at it without much thought. There are benefits that should not be enjoyed.
Advantages and Disadvantages
A wise man will weigh both advantages and disadvantages when devising a strategy. When analyzing advantages of a plan, you should also take its disadvantages into account. Likewise, when analyzing disadvantages of a plan, you should also take its advantages into account.
1. In order to force your adversary to surrender, inflict damage on him.
2. In order to deplete the national wealth of the enemy, purposefully cause a disturbance to exhaust them.
3. In order to win over the support of your opponents, lure them into your camp by offering some benefits.
4. In a war, do not simply wish that the enemy will not attack; rather, make it difficult for the enemy to attack. Reinforce defense to deprive your adversaries of a chance to counterattack.
5. Abandon wishful thinking and be ready for all types of weather.
Five Dangerous Situations for Commanders
Since ancient times, there are five reasons or causes for the demise of the military and its commanders.
1. Sheer desperation can result in death on the battlefield. When it is time to retreat, you must withdraw.
2. Do not make a frantic attempt to survive. You may end up being captured.
3. Do not lose your temper or become irritable. You may play into the hands of the enemy.
4. Do not insist on being morally right. You may end up responding to provocation by your opponents.
5. Do not be too sympathetic toward common people. You may suffer emotional breakdown.
The most important quality of a commander is the ability to judge comprehensively. The commander’s duty is to encourage his subordinates to make frantic efforts without being desperate himself. Do not be too fastidious. Fastidiousness can be a weakness. Every action will set off a reaction.
Ko-gun (March)
The prerequisite for advancing your troops to the combat zone is to become familiar with the topography of the region and alter your fighting methods accordingly. Do not neglect to examine the status of the enemy. Do not overlook even seemingly trivial phenomena. Every phenomenon has its cause and reason. Analyze it with utmost caution. When the condition of the enemy is known, prepare your troops for a battle, being mindful of the situation of the other side. Do not rush recklessly.
Fighting According to the Terrain
1. When fighting in the mountainous terrain – When marching in the mountainous region, move along the valley. Position your troops on higher ground where you can have an unobstructed view. When enemy forces are positioned on higher ground, do not strike. Think of a way to lure them into action.
2. When fighting in the river region – When your adversaries are crossing the river to strike, launch an attack after half of them have reached the shore. When taking the offensive, stay away from the riverbank where your footing is not secure. Engage in combat away from the riverbank. When your troops have to be stationed near the riverbank, choose higher ground where you can have an unobstructed view. Do not fight with opponents positioned upstream when you are located downstream.
3. When fighting in wetlands – When crossing marshy areas where your footing is not firm, move as fast as you can. An attack by the opposition can have devastating effects. When fighting in wetlands, take advantage of swamps and bushes and position yourself in front of trees. Fight there to turn the tide in your favor.
4. When fighting in flatlands – To deploy your troops, choose a flat area with lowland in the front and highland in the rear. To station your troops, choose an area with highland on either side and in the rear, which allows free movement. The above is the stratagem to take advantage of the terrain.
5. Choose higher ground rather than lower ground to deploy your troops.
6. Be sure to closely manage your soldiers’ health. Choose a place with sufficient sunlight rather than a humid spot in the shade. This will raise soldiers’ spirits, thereby avoiding health-related issues and energizing them.
7. When your troops need to be positioned on a hill or embankment, pick a southeastern location, which is geographically favorable. This will enable you to run a campaign to your advantage.
8. If water levels are rising due to rainfall upriver, wait until the current is manageable to cross. Do not rush.
Terrain to Avoid
1. A ravine with precipitous cliffs on both sides and a stream inbetween.
2. A deeply depressed area surrounded by precipices in all four directions.
3. An area surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides, with a narrow passage on one side. Such an area is difficult to escape.
4. A place with dense vegetation, where communication with fellow soldiers is difficult and movement is restricted.
5. A low-lying region where movement is restricted.
6. A mountainous region with rugged terrain.
When your troops enter such terrain while marching, search the area carefully to ensure that no enemy is lurking. Do not approach such terrain if discovered in advance. Conversely, attempt to drive your adversaries into such terrain. It is important to give a sense of security to your soldiers to boost their morale.
Anticipating Movements of the Enemy
Be cautious if enemy forces remain unusually silent as you approach them. They may be plotting against you. You should assume that they are enjoying natural advantages or some other factors favorable to them.
If enemy troops stationed at a distance are being provocative without physically approaching you, they are trying to tempt you into action.
If opposition forces leave a geographically favorable location and position themselves on flatland, you should assume that the new location gives them some kind of advantage.
Swinging of tree branches is a sign that enemy forces have made inroads into your territory.
Traps laid in a tussock indicate that your adversaries are trying to contain advancement of your troops.
When birds suddenly fly away, it is a sign that soldiers are lying in ambush. When beasts dash off in surprise, it is a sign that there are commando units. When there are clouds of dust high in the air, it is a sign that enemy tanks are invading. When there are clouds of dust hovering low, it is a sign that infantry units are approaching. When there are narrow columns of dust in the air, it is a sign that enemy troops are procuring firewood. When there are columns of dust moving about in the air, it is a sign that opposition troops are getting ready to camp out.
Even seemingly insignificant signs should not be overlooked in battle. Identify the cause and analyze the situation of the enemy.
Diplomatic Negotiations
When your adversaries speak deferentially, it is a sign that they are readying themselves for invasion while gradually building up strong defense.
When your adversaries speak aggressively and display their intention to invade, it is a sign that they are preparing to retreat.
When your adversaries seek reconciliation even though they are still strong, it is a sign that they are scheming against you.
During diplomatic negotiations, calmly see through other people’s intentions and deal with them resolutely.
Evaluating the Internal Affairs of the Enemy
