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12TheArtofWarBySunTzuTranslatedbyLionelGilesI.LayingPlans1.SunTzusaid:TheartofwarisofvitalimportancetotheState.2.Itisamatteroflifeanddeath,aroadeithertosafetyortoruin.Henceitisasubjectofinquirywhichcanonnoaccountbeneglected.3.Theartofwar,then,isgovernedbyfiveconstantfactors,tobetakenintoaccountinone'sdeliberations,whenseekingtodeterminetheconditionsobtaininginthefield.4.Theseare:(1)TheMoralLaw;(2)Heaven;(3)Earth;(4)TheCommander;(5)Methodanddiscipline.5,6.TheMoralLawcausesthepeopletobeincompleteaccordwiththeirruler,sothattheywillfollowhimregardlessoftheirlives,undismayedbyanydanger.7.Heavensignifiesnightandday,coldandheat,timesandseasons.8.Earthcomprisesdistances,greatandsmall;dangerandsecurity;opengroundandnarrowpasses;thechancesoflifeanddeath.9.TheCommanderstandsforthevirtuesofwisdom,sincerely,benevolence,courageandstrictness.10.Bymethodanddisciplinearetobeunderstoodthemarshalingofthearmyinitspropersubdivisions,thegraduationsofrankamongtheofficers,themaintenanceofroadsbywhichsuppliesmayreachthearmy,andthecontrolofmilitaryexpenditure.11.Thesefiveheadsshouldbefamiliartoeverygeneral:hewhoknowsthemwillbevictorious;hewhoknowsthemnotwillfail.312.Therefore,inyourdeliberations,whenseekingtodeterminethemilitaryconditions,letthembemadethebasisofacomparison,inthiswise:--13.(1)WhichofthetwosovereignsisimbuedwiththeMorallaw?(2)Whichofthetwogeneralshasmostability?(3)WithwhomlietheadvantagesderivedfromHeavenandEarth?(4)Onwhichsideisdisciplinemostrigorouslyenforced?(5)Whicharmyisstronger?(6)Onwhichsideareofficersandmenmorehighlytrained?(7)Inwhicharmyistherethegreaterconstancybothinrewardandpunishment?14.BymeansofthesesevenconsiderationsIcanforecastvictoryordefeat.15.Thegeneralthathearkenstomycounselandactsuponit,willconquer:letsuchaoneberetainedincommand!Thegeneralthathearkensnottomycounselnoractsuponit,willsufferdefeat:--letsuchaonebedismissed!16.Whileheadingtheprofitofmycounsel,availyourselfalsoofanyhelpfulcircumstancesoverandbeyondtheordinaryrules.17.Accordingascircumstancesarefavorable,oneshouldmodifyone'splans.18.Allwarfareisbasedondeception.19.Hence,whenabletoattack,wemustseemunable;whenusingourforces,wemustseeminactive;whenwearenear,wemustmaketheenemybelievewearefaraway;whenfaraway,wemustmakehimbelievewearenear.20.Holdoutbaitstoenticetheenemy.Feigndisorder,andcrushhim.21.Ifheissecureatallpoints,bepreparedforhim.Ifheisinsuperiorstrength,evadehim.22.Ifyouropponentisofcholerictemper,seektoirritatehim.Pretendtobeweak,thathemaygrowarrogant.23.Ifheistakinghisease,givehimnorest.Ifhisforcesareunited,separatethem.424.Attackhimwhereheisunprepared,appearwhereyouarenotexpected.25.Thesemilitarydevices,leadingtovictory,mustnotbedivulgedbeforehand.26.Nowthegeneralwhowinsabattlemakesmanycalculationsinhistempleerethebattleisfought.Thegeneralwholosesabattlemakesbutfewcalculationsbeforehand.Thusdomanycalculationsleadtovictory,andfewcalculationstodefeat:howmuchmorenocalculationatall!ItisbyattentiontothispointthatIcanforeseewhoislikelytowinorlose.II.WagingWar1.SunTzusaid:Intheoperationsofwar,wherethereareinthefieldathousandswiftchariots,asmanyheavychariots,andahundredthousandmail-cladsoldiers,withprovisionsenoughtocarrythemathousandli,theexpenditureathomeandatthefront,includingentertainmentofguests,smallitemssuchasglueandpaint,andsumsspentonchariotsandarmor,willreachthetotalofathousandouncesofsilverperday.Suchisthecostofraisinganarmyof100,000men.2.Whenyouengageinactualfighting,ifvictoryislongincoming,thenmen'sweaponswillgrowdullandtheirardorwillbedamped.Ifyoulaysiegetoatown,youwillexhaustyourstrength.3.Again,ifthecampaignisprotracted,theresourcesoftheStatewillnotbeequaltothestrain.4.Now,whenyourweaponsaredulled,yourardordamped,yourstrengthexhaustedandyourtreasurespent,otherchieftainswillspringuptotakeadvantageofyourextremity.Thennoman,howeverwise,willbeabletoaverttheconsequencesthatmustensue.5.Thus,thoughwehaveheardofstupidhasteinwar,clevernesshasneverbeenseenassociatedwithlongdelays.6.Thereisnoinstanceofacountryhavingbenefitedfromprolongedwarfare.57.Itisonlyonewhoisthoroughlyacquaintedwiththeevilsofwarthatcanthoroughlyunderstandtheprofitablewayofcarryingiton.8.Theskillfulsoldierdoesnotraiseasecondlevy,neitherarehissupply-wagonsloadedmorethantwice.9.Bringwarmaterialwithyoufromhome,butforageontheenemy.Thusthearmywillhavefoodenoughforitsneeds.10.PovertyoftheStateexchequercausesanarmytobemaintainedbycontributionsfromadistance.Contributingtomaintainanarmyatadistancecausesthepeopletobeimpoverished.11.Ontheotherhand,theproximityofanarmycausespricestogoup;andhighpricescausethepeople'ssubstancetobedrainedaway.12.Whentheirsubstanceisdrainedaway,thepeasantrywillbeafflictedbyheavyexactions.13,14.Withthislossofsubstanceandexhaustionofstrength,thehomesofthepeoplewillbestrippedbare,andthree-tenthsoftheirincomewillbedissipated;whilegovernmentexpensesforbrokenchariots,worn-outhorses,breast-platesandhelmets,bowsandarrows,spearsandshields,protectivemantles,draught-oxenandheavywagons,willamounttofour-tenthsofitstotalrevenue.15.Henceawisegeneralmakesapoin