Sun Tzu's Art of War: Book Summary and Analysis

The art of war is a book written by the general and military strategist Sun Tzu approximately 2,500 years ago in ancient China.

It's a treatise on military practice and war strategy which is based on the principles of taoist doctrine.

The Art of WarIn this sense, it is a text that helps us to better understand the nature of conflicts and to analyze and evaluate the best alternatives for their solution.

Some of the fundamental teachings of the book are that the ideal is to win without fighting So what war is based on deception and the confusion of the enemy. Likewise, the importance of knowing how to adjust to the conditions, being able to defend advantages, seize opportunities and have a clear vision and solid leadership is highlighted.

Is considerate one of the best and most current military strategy books of all times. The warnings of him have had influence throughout history on great strategists of war and the politics of the East and the West, such as Nicholas Machiavelli, Napoleon Bonaparte or Mao Zedong.

Book summary

The Art of War It is a treatise on military strategy divided into thirteen parts, each of which accounts for the various aspects and scenarios that can occur in a conflict.

Chapter 1: Evaluation

War is very important to the state and can mean life or death. On the other hand, the conflict determines the preservation or loss of the Empire. Therefore, it is necessary to know every detail well and know how to handle the situation.

In this chapter, Sum Tzu discusses five fundamental factors to consider in a conflict: the road, the weather conditions, the terrain, authority or command, and discipline. These elements must be mastered by each general if he wants to achieve victory.

Also, this chapter focuses on the importance of evaluating the enemy, of which he recommends knowing his strengths and weaknesses.

Chapter 2: Initiating Actions

This chapter warns of the importance of knowing the amounts and costs that the military campaign will entail.

If the main objective of the war, victory, takes too long to arrive, morale may drop and resources may be depleted. So it is useless for a campaign to take too long.

So, the leader's strategy should be to weaken the enemy and deprive him of food to supply his own.

Chapter 3: The Positions of Victory and Defeat

It is important to fight the enemy's plans and, above all, not to allow an alliance between adversaries. The best war strategy is to impact a state and not ruin it.

He should never attack in anger and in haste. This requires good planning and coordination.

The strategy is to win without fighting, without besieging cities and not spending too much time on it. To achieve success, it is necessary to attend to five fundamental aspects: the attack, the strategy, the alliances, the army and the cities.

Chapter 4: The Measurement of Media Disposition

It is essential to have the ability to ensure invincibility and to know the enemy's shortcomings in order to defeat him at his weakest moment.

So, it is important to know the opponent's shortcomings. In this sense, the commanders must be prepared so that they establish a good defense base and that they do not comment on errors. Also, you have to know how to detect opportunities to defeat the enemy.

Chapter 5: Firmness

This chapter explains how every good leader is able to defeat the enemy if he creates a favorable perception (force of momentum) for his army. The intelligent combatant achieves victory from him without resorting to force.

Thus, disorder must be feigned to distract opponents. However, in order to mislead the enemy, you must first plan an order. Only then can artificial disorder be created. As if you want to feign cowardice, you must first know courage and, if you want to appear weak, you must first know strength.

Chapter 6: The Full and the Empty

A good warrior makes the enemy arrive last on the battlefield. Only in this way will his combatants be in a rested position, while the adversaries will arrive exhausted.

In war, you have to be subtle, discreet and silent and try to appear in critical places to attack your adversary where you least expect it.

The army must seize any moment of enemy weakness as an opportunity to attack.

In a battle, only the one who has an aptitude for change and can adapt to the enemy will be able to win, since in a conflict there are no fixed and permanent circumstances.

Chapter 7: The Direct and Indirect Showdown

In this chapter he explores direct (armed) and indirect confrontation. It is important to avoid armed conflict, but it cannot always be achieved. Therefore, when it arises, it is essential to know how to control the confrontational situation.

In a battle it is very important to know the conditions of the terrain to be able to maneuver and fight. The art of war also lies in being able to mobilize huge masses of men.

Also, a good strategy is to distract the enemy so that he cannot know what the real situation of your army is.

Chapter 8: The Nine Changes

It is essential that generals know the different variables to take advantage of the terrain and understand how to manage their army.

A smart leader objectively analyzes the benefit and harm. If he considers the benefit, his option expands. If he examines the damage, his problems will be solved. Likewise, a good general has to be able to adapt to whatever situation arises.

The author mentions five traits that are dangerous in generals:

1. Those who are willing to die may lose their lives.
2. Those who want to preserve life can be taken prisoner.
3. Those who are given to irrational passion, can be ridiculed.
4. Those who are very puritanical can be disgraced.
5. Those who are compassionate, can be knocked down.

Chapter 9: Media Distribution

All military maneuvers are the consequence of plans and strategies fixed in advance. As the army moves through new scenarios, it is important to take into account the situations that arise and know how to interpret the intentions of the adversaries well.

The author also indicates that if the enemy approaches with humble words, he may be up to something. You should never trust your adversary even if he proposes a truce.

Chapter 10: Typology

In this chapter Sun Tzu mentions six ways to be defeated, which can occur if a general is not sufficiently prepared:

1. Do not calibrate the number of forces.
2. The absence of a clear system of rewards and punishments.
3. Insufficient training.
4. Irrational passion.
5. The inefficiency of the law of order.
6. Not selecting the best soldiers.

Chapter 11: The Nine Kinds of Terrain

This chapter focuses on the description of the different types of terrain or situations that can occur in a military campaign and how to get out of it.

Thus, Sun Tzu distinguishes between nine “types of terrain”: dispersed, light, keyed, communicative, intersecting, difficult, unfavorable, fenced off, and deadly.

Chapter 12: The Art of Attacking by Fire

This chapter explores the use of weapons and the five types of attacks there are through fire. Thus the author lists that it can be burned:

1. People.
2. Supplies
3. The team.
4. Warehouses
5. Weapons.

It also looks at how fire should be used in different attacks. In war, you not only have to know how to attack but also how to avoid being attacked.

Likewise, it is important to act when the best conditions are given, it should never be done out of anger or provoke a war out of anger.

Chapter 13: On Concord and Discord

The last chapter of the book focuses on the importance of spying on the enemy for information.

The use of espionage makes a brilliant ruler or a wise general. Also, this practice is essential during military operations.

Thus, the author distinguishes five types of spies: native, internal, double agent, liquidable and floating.

Finally, Sun Tzu affirms that if a general knows the operation of each kind of espionage he will be assured of victory.

Phrase analysis

Sun Tzu's book hides a deep philosophy that is based on deception as the most powerful weapon to win in war.

However, today his indications are applied in the most diverse fields of human activity, not only for the military strategy, but also for politics, diplomacy, business, conflict management, sports and life everyday.

Let's discover, by analyzing his sentences, why the work remains a key manual for many disciplines and some of its most representative messages.

The art of deception

The art of war is based on deception. Therefore, when he is able to attack, he must appear incapable; when troops move, they appear incapable.

This phrase contained in the first chapter alludes to the fact that one of the key aspects of the art of war is handling the art of deception.

Military strategy involves deception, devising stratagems that confuse the enemy, that make it difficult for him to foresee the direction of your actions. Through deception and surprise, the enemy can be defeated.

Win without fighting

Those who make the armies of others surrender powerless without fighting are the best masters of the art of war.

This teaching from Sun Tzu is part of the third chapter and refers to the fact that the supreme mastery in the art of war consists in defeating the enemy without fighting.

To do this, he states that, before entering the war, there are some things that should be tried, primarily, try to dismantle the enemy's conspiracy and plans, and then dissolve their alliances. The next step would then be to attack the army.

However, it is stated that the true master must avoid battle, and he must try to win without war. The key, then, is to win with strategy.

Know yourself and your enemy

If you know others and you know yourself, not in a hundred battles will you be in danger; if you don't know others, but you know yourself, you will lose one battle and win another; if you don't know others or yourself, you will be in danger in every battle.

With these words Sun Tzu concludes the third chapter. With them it refers to the importance of the general to know their advantages and disadvantages, their strengths and weaknesses, in order to master them, know how to hide them and take advantage of them.

In addition, the author points out that it is important to get to know the enemy well to the same extent to have a clear idea of ​​how to defeat him. Ignorance of one of these aspects means leaving the outcome of each battle to chance.

Strategy planning

A victorious army wins first and engages in battle later; a defeated army fights first and tries to gain victory later.

Contained in the fourth chapter, this statement refers to the fact that the battle must be a consequence of organization and strategy. Those who lack this kind of planning are doomed to defeat.

It is a phrase that speaks, then, of the importance of strategic calculations in war and the dangers of impulsiveness.

Position and organization

Good warriors bring adversaries to come to them, and in no way allow themselves to be drawn out of the fortress.

This phrase, at the beginning of chapter six, refers to several fundamental factors in relation to strategic positioning on the battlefield.

In the first place, it alludes to the importance of maintaining an advantageous position when it has been conquered.

Second, another key aspect of war is inferred from this statement: saving energy and avoid fatigue while you make your enemy spend energy moving and depleting his forces from him.

The leadership

When orders are reasonable, fair, simple, clear and consistent, there is mutual satisfaction between the leader and the group.

In this sentence from chapter nine, Sun Tzu talks about the importance of leadership for victory.

On the one hand, a leadership based on justice allows the general to gain the trust of his soldiers and have his will and good faith to lead them.

However, a leadership contrary to justice would only cause rebellion, mistrust and lack of discipline, which is extremely detrimental to the military order when facing a battle.

About the author: Sun Tzu

Sun Tzu was an ancient Chinese military man, strategist, and philosopher who was inspired by his victories on the battlefield to write The Art of War.

It is estimated that he lived around the 5th century BC. C. Even though his birth name was Sun wu, today we know him by what is actually his honorary title, Sun Tzu, which in Spanish would translate ‘Master Sun’. His philosophy of warfare has had an enormous influence throughout history.