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I. Laying Plans

The book starts out with a statement that the art of war is “a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin.” Sun Tzu states that the art of war is controlled by five factors: Moral Law, Heaven, Earth, The Commander, and Method and discipline. Moral Law is the obedience of the populace, as opposed to a question of morality. Heaven is the time of day and weather conditions. Earth refers to the conditions of the battlefield (distances, lines of sight, etc.). “The Commander” stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage, and strictness. These are the qualities of military leadership. “Method and discipline” refers to the organization of the army, including how the troops are divided, how officers are appointed, and how supplies are managed. Sun Tzu then lists a series of questions that ask: In a conflict, which of the two sides has an advantage in each of the five factors? Sun Tzu states that victory can be predicted based on the analysis of these factors.

The second half of the essay starts with one of the most quoted lines from the entire book: “All warfare is based on deception.” Sun Tzu then explains specific examples, such as acting weak when actually being well-prepared, false maneuvers, or even trying to provoke an enemy that has a short temper. The essay closes by stating that “calculations” and preparedness lead to victory.

Read about a quote (#1) from the first essay that some believe summarizes the entire book.

II. Waging War

In this essay, Sun Tzu focuses on the importance of resource management during a campaign. He states that over time, weapons and armor will need repair and the soldiers will lose morale. A government cannot keep up with the continued cost of an ongoing war. While he warns against hurried decisions, he states that “cleverness has never been seen associated with long delays.” He warns against the consequences of levying too many taxes or stripping resources from the populace.

Other than avoiding a lengthy campaign, Sun Tzu suggests that using resources from defeated enemies is vital. He states that each repurposed cartload of enemy provisions or sack of animal feed is equivalent to 20 of one’s own. He also recommends the incorporation of enemy material as well as the “kindly” treatment of captured soldiers. He closes the essay with the statement that the leader of armies controls “whether the nation shall be in peace or peril.”

III. Attack By Stratagem

In this essay, Sun Tzu starts by discussing the importance of capturing enemy soldiers without conflict. The worst outcome in a battle is to besiege a walled city. He notes the time and resources that will be necessary and the inevitable loss of soldiers (a third of the army) that will ensue if the leader of the army becomes impatient. Taking a country whole and intact is far superior to trying to conquer it through force. Sun Tzu acknowledges that this is much easier if one’s forces outnumber the enemy.

The second half of this essay is concerned with the “three misfortunes” that can befall an army due to bad leadership and the five essentials for victory. The first misfortune is to “hobble the army,” which means to command an army to advance or retreat when it is not able to do so. This would be a result of lack of knowledge or preparation. The second misfortune is to try to govern an army in the same way that one governs a kingdom. By not understanding the conditions that soldiers are under, this can cause the army to lose faith in the leadership. The third misfortune involves using officers who are unable to adapt. The confidence of the soldiers relies on their confidence in the leadership.

The five essentials for victory are statements regarding the actions and knowledge of a military leader. The first states that a leader must know the best time to engage in conflict or avoid it, based on the circumstances available. The second states that a leader must know how to “handle superior and inferior forces.” This relies on the concept that war requires deception (Essay I) and planning engagements. The third states that the leader “whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks” will win. This refers to morale as well as cohesion. The fourth states that through preparation, a successful leader will attack when the enemy is unprepared. The fifth states that a successful leader must have military knowledge and be allowed to operate without the ruler of the nation interfering.

Read about Main Idea #1: The outcome of wars can be predicted before they start.

Next section Section 2: Essays IV-VI

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