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Summary of The Art of War book<\/b><\/h2>\n
The Art of War, a book written by a Chinese General named Sun Tzu around 5th century BC. It’s considered the first strategy book in the world. We don’t know much about Sun Tzu, whether it’s one person or more, as the text switches between “Sun Tzu says” and “I say.”<\/span><\/p>\n In the Art of War, the book is divided into 13 chapters, which aren’t exactly different topics, but more like 13 reflections or thoughts. Some parts might repeat and sound theoretical, but even though it’s thousands of years old, “The Art of War” is still relevant today.<\/span><\/p>\n By changing words like “enemy” to “competitor,” “camp” to “market,” and “soldier” to “employee,” you can turn this military strategy book into a guide for business strategy. I think all entrepreneurs and business creators should read it.<\/span><\/p>\n It’s often included in university reading lists, and many entrepreneurs use its principles for negotiating big contracts and important sales.<\/span><\/p>\n The book is short, only 75 pages, but it’s packed with ideas. In my review, I’ve covered the important points from “The Art of War” book. Even though it’s very old, the ideas still make sense today, and that’s why I wanted to share it with you on this blog.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTo win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.\u201d <\/span> In this timeless work of Asian literature, Sun Tzu teaches us that achieving success and triumph in battles requires considering five essential elements: moral law, heaven, earth, the leader, method, and discipline.<\/span><\/p>\n By adhering to your moral principles, you’ll gather support from neighboring groups. By factoring in the circumstances of heaven and earth, you’ll determine the best moment to strike. Effective leadership ensures your team serves both out of duty and camaraderie. Methodical planning prevents wasted effort against stronger foes, saving time and energy.<\/span><\/p>\n If you decide to engage, conceal your strengths, sow confusion, and seize opportunities when your opponent least expects it.<\/span><\/p>\n Avoid relying solely on one battle; don’t gamble your destiny on a single fight.<\/span><\/p>\n Those interested in history might enjoy my article “10 Exceptional Historical Novels for Traveling Back in Time,” where I discuss works like Azteca, War and Peace, and Quo Vadis?<\/span><\/p>\n When you possess both the necessary resources and soldiers for battle, don’t hesitate. If victory is your goal, initiate the fight promptly and gather all your forces. Delaying risks allowing your opponent to strike first when your tools are deteriorated and your troops inactive, erasing previous accomplishments.<\/span><\/p>\n True masters of warfare don’t keep their soldiers idle for extended periods. Inactivity weakens an army more than anything else.<\/span><\/p>\n Hence, keep your campaigns brief!<\/span><\/p>\n Stay prepared for combat at all times. Seize every chance to disrupt your enemy, ensnare them, and diminish their strength by seizing their resources.<\/span><\/p>\n Treat captured foes as you would your own soldiers. Make their stay in your camp more appealing than with your adversaries. Treat them as comrades, as if they willingly joined your ranks.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat is essential in war is victory, not prolonged operations.\u201d <\/span> \u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n Sun Tzu’s guidance emphasizes the wisdom of refraining from declaring war hastily and instead valuing your territories. It’s essential to acquire and sustain gained territories without destruction.<\/span><\/p>\n The wisest strategy is securing an undamaged state.<\/span><\/p>\n The ultimate victory lies in avoiding battles altogether. Uncover your enemy’s strategies, create division among their supporters, and deter external assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n Direct confrontation isn’t always needed; target the adversary’s plans. Disrupt their strategies as they take shape, fracture alliances. Only then should you engage in combat.<\/span><\/p>\n The objective is seizing enemy territories while they remain intact. This preserves your troops’ energy and yields substantial gains.<\/span><\/p>\n The five keys to triumph are:<\/span><\/p>\n As Sun Tzu stated, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. And if you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cThe one without goals is unlikely to achieve anything.\u201d <\/span> Skilled warriors don’t struggle in battles; they enter only when conditions favor them. They’ve strategized, assessed their own strengths and vulnerabilities, and understood the enemy’s position.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They discern the outcome before engaging \u2013 victory flows naturally from their preparation. A wise commander avoids defeat, seizing every opportunity to outmaneuver the enemy.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cKnow how to wait for the right moment before going on the attack.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n In this section, Sun Tzu emphasizes the importance of knowing every soldier in your army by name, understanding their skills, and utilizing them strategically based on their strengths.<\/span><\/p>\n He advises a combination of direct and indirect force:<\/span><\/p>\n Direct strength has limits, while indirect force is boundless. A skilled commander seeks victory in the situation, not from mere demands on the troops.<\/span><\/p>\n Beyond warfare, mastery lies in influencing enemies. Push them like a boulder off a mountaintop \u2013 minimal effort results in significant impact, causing the boulder to tumble down the mountain.<\/span><\/p>\n Selecting the right battlefield is a pivotal aspect of the art of war in this summary. By enticing your adversary to your chosen ground, you secure a strategic advantage based on the terrain.<\/span><\/p>\n Should the enemy remain entrenched in their position, stir them into action, compelling them to abandon their camp.<\/span><\/p>\n Opt for unexpected fields for engagement, catching the enemy off guard and exploiting their vulnerabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n The objective is to keep the enemy uncertain about the battleground. Their awareness of your intentions, means, and tactics must remain clouded. If they prepare for a frontal assault, strike from their rear. If they fortify the rear, assail their front.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhen capable, feign incapacity; when active, inactivity. And when near, make it appear that you are far away; when far away, that you are to lure him.\u201d<\/span> Know the battlefield well. Prevent the enemy from coming close to your camp spot and keep them near places you can benefit from.<\/span><\/p>\n Attack when the enemy believes you’re distant, ensuring victory. A startled enemy is already partly beaten.<\/span><\/p>\n For communication, employ drums. The beat of many drums bolsters your troops’ courage and unnerves foes. These sounds guide the enemy’s focus where you intend.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you see that your soldiers are ardent, now is the time to jump into battle. If, on the contrary, it is your enemies who are ardent, then you must wait for a better time.\u201d<\/span> Sun Tzu talks about nine changes that affect your position: attacking, retreating, resting:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cA good general should never say to himself: whatever happens, I will do such and such a thing, I will go there, I will attack the enemy, I will besiege such and such a place. Only the circumstance should determine it.\u201d<\/span> Before choosing a camp, know where enemies are, understand your surroundings, and pick the best spot:<\/span><\/p>\n In forests, stay vigilant; ambushes are possible.<\/span><\/p>\n Have sentries everywhere to spot enemies.<\/span><\/p>\n Observe foes to draw conclusions:<\/span><\/p>\n Monitor your troops too. Prevent misbehavior, watch over them, stay alert.<\/span><\/p>\n Soldier numbers aren’t enough; a general’s leadership can make or break an army.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cBe extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness. Be extremely mysterious, even to the point of soundlessness. Thereby you can be the director of the opponent\u2019s fate.\u201d<\/span> The best battleground is where tall mountains provide security and ample food. Both you and your enemies are drawn to such areas, so reach there first.<\/span><\/p>\n Avoid deceptive places that seem easy to enter but hard to exit; they might be enemy traps.<\/span><\/p>\n Be cautious of past adversaries you couldn’t defeat. Retreat if possible. Don’t challenge a rival firmly positioned.<\/span><\/p>\n For victory against evenly matched foes, grasp nine of ten terrain advantages.<\/span><\/p>\n Complete terrain mastery lets you handle any situation, even dire ones.<\/span><\/p>\n A wise general treats troops like family. Guide and lead them, sharing risks and even facing death together.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIf you know the enemy and know yourself, your victory will not stand in doubt; if you know Heaven and know Earth, you may make your victory complete.\u201d<\/span> There are 9 types of terrains that can affect armies’ advantages or disadvantages:<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe whole art of war is based on deception.\u201d<\/span> In a spread-out area, avoid battles to prevent desertion.<\/b><\/p>\n
\n<\/span>\u2013 Sun Tzu,<\/span> The Art of War book<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nArticle 1: Initial Estimations<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Article 2: Waging War<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span>-Sun Tzu,<\/span> The Art of War book<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.sitrakaratsimba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-fauxels-3184292.jpg\")
Article 3: Planning Offensives<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>\u2013 Sun Tzu, <\/span>The Art of War summary<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nArticle 4: Military Disposition<\/b><\/h3>\n
Article 5: Strategic Military Power<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Article 6: Vacuity and Substance<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span>\u2013 <\/span>The Art of War, <\/span><\/i>Sun Tzu<\/span><\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.sitrakaratsimba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-pixabay-163427.jpg\")
<\/p>\nArticle 7: Military Combat<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span>\u2013 <\/span>The Art of War, <\/span><\/i>Sun Tzu<\/span><\/p>\nArticle 8: Nine Changes<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>\u2013 <\/span>The Art of War, <\/span><\/i>Sun Tzu<\/span><\/p>\nArticle 9: Maneuvering the Army<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>\u2013 Sun Tzu,<\/span> The Art of War<\/span><\/i><\/p>\nArticle 10: Configurations of Terrain<\/b><\/h3>\n
\n<\/span>\u2013 <\/span>The Art of War, <\/span><\/i>Sun Tzu<\/span><\/p>\n![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.sitrakaratsimba.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/pexels-pixabay-207924.jpg\")
<\/p>\nArticle 11: Nine Terrains<\/b><\/h3>\n
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\n<\/span>\u2013 Sun Tzu,<\/span> The Art of War<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n