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Sun Tzu The wittiest aphorisms and quotes. The Art of War

Sayings, phrases and quotes from Sun Tzu.

In battle, numerical superiority alone does not provide an advantage. There is no need to go on the attack, relying only on naked military might.

Victorious warriors first win and only then enter into battle; those that are defeated first enter into battle and only then try to win.

He who correctly points out my mistakes is my teacher; he who rightly notes my faithful faults is my friend; he who flatters me is my enemy.

Fighting a hundred times and winning a hundred times is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to conquer someone else's army without fighting.
War is a great matter of the state, the basis of life and death, the path to survival or death. This needs to be carefully weighed and considered.
The teaching reaches its limit in action.
First, be like an innocent girl - and the enemy will open his door. Then be like an escaped hare - and the enemy will not have time to take measures to defend himself.
War is a path of deception. Therefore, even if you are capable, show your opponent your inability. When you must bring your forces into battle, pretend to be inactive. When the target is near, make it appear as if it is far away; when she is really far away, create the impression that she is close. “Initial calculations”
The most best war- defeat the enemy's plans; in the next place - to break his alliances; in the next place - defeat his troops. The worst thing is to besiege a fortress.
The willingness to sacrifice oneself to fulfill one's duty is the basis for maintaining life.
The great phrase of Sun Tzu - the Ruler can be compared to a boat, and the people to water: water can carry a boat, or it can capsize it.
A person’s bad qualities and actions depend on himself.
Invincibility lies in oneself, the possibility of victory lies in the enemy. 不可勝在己，可勝在敵 - “Combat Uniform”
If you find out that you have an enemy spy and is watching you, be sure to influence him with benefit; bring him in and place him with you. "Use of spies"
Heaven does not give birth to commoners for a ruler, it enthrones a ruler for commoners.
Being busy is something people hate; merit and power are what they love.
When a person has a lot of free time, he will achieve little.
When soldiers are exposed mortal danger, they are not afraid of anything; when they have no way out, they hold on tight; when they go deep into enemy land, nothing holds them back; when nothing can be done, they fight. "Nine Localities"

When a perfect person has great knowledge and also checks himself daily and analyzes his behavior, then he is wise and does not make mistakes.
Music is the source of joy for wise people, it is capable of evoking good thoughts among the people, it penetrates deeply into their consciousness and easily changes morals and customs.
If you find out that you have an enemy spy and is watching you, be sure to influence him with benefit; bring him in and place him with you.
There is no need to destroy the enemy; it is enough to deprive him of the resolve to engage in battle.
If you don't know what your children are like, look at their friends.
A thoroughbred horse cannot cover distances of a thousand miles in one jump. On a nag you can cover this distance in ten days, if you don’t stop halfway.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
The best war is to defeat the enemy's plans; in the next place - to break his alliances; in the next place - defeat his troops. The worst thing is to besiege a fortress. “Planning an attack” - “Planning an attack”
War loves victory and does not like duration. 故兵貴勝，不貴久。 - “Waging War”
First, be like an innocent girl - and the enemy will open his door. Then be like an escaped hare - and the enemy will not have time to take measures to defend himself. "Nine Localities"
War is a path of deception. If you can do anything, show your opponent that you can’t; if you use something, show him that you don’t use it; even if you are close, show that you are far away; even if you are far away, show that you are close.
Fighting a hundred times and winning a hundred times is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to conquer someone else's army without fighting. "Planning an attack"
War is a great matter of the state, the basis of life and death, the path to survival or death. This needs to be carefully weighed and considered. “Initial calculations”
He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot fight will be the winner. 故知勝有五：知可以戰與不可以戰者勝 - “Planning an attack”
Levying exorbitant taxes is a path that causes robbery, enrichment of the enemy, leading to the death of the state.
Managing many is the same as managing few. It's a matter of organization. 凡治眾如治寡，分數是也。- “Strategic power”
Trouble comes when people, in their laziness, forget to take care of themselves.

Phrases, sayings and quotes Sun Tzu is a Chinese strategist and thinker.

SUN TZU "The Art of War": best quotes

1. To win a hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the pinnacle of military art. To defeat the enemy without fighting is the pinnacle.

2. If you know the enemy and know yourself, fight at least a hundred times, there will be no danger; if you know yourself, but don’t know him, you will win once, another time you will be defeated; If you don’t know yourself or him, every time you fight you will be defeated.

3. Invincibility lies in oneself, the possibility of victory lies in the enemy.
Therefore, one who fights well can make himself invincible, but cannot force his opponent to necessarily allow himself to be defeated. That is why it is said: “Victory can be known, but it cannot be achieved.”

4. Fighting a hundred times and winning a hundred times is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to conquer someone else's army without fighting. Therefore, the best war is to defeat the enemy’s plans; in the next place - to break his alliances; in the next place - to defeat his troops. Therefore, he who knows how to wage war conquers another's army without fighting; takes other people's fortresses without besieging them; crushes a foreign state without holding his army for long.

5. The rule of war is not to trust that the enemy will not come, but to rely on what I can meet him with; not to rely on the fact that he will not attack, but to rely on the fact that I will make it impossible for him to attack me.

6. Invincibility is defense; The opportunity to win is an offensive. When they are on the defensive, it means there is something lacking; when they attack, it means there is everything in abundance. He who defends himself well hides in the depths of the underworld; he who attacks well acts from the heights of heaven.

7. The rule of war says: if you have ten times more forces than the enemy, surround him on all sides; if you have five times more strength, attack him; if you have twice as much strength, divide it into parts; if the forces are equal, be able to fight him; if you have less strength, be able to defend yourself from him; if you have anything worse at all, be able to evade it. Therefore, those who persist with small forces become prisoners of a strong enemy.

8. If the enemy is on the heights, do not go straight at him; if there is a hill behind it, do not position yourself opposite it; if he pretends to run away, do not pursue him; if he is full of strength, do not attack him; if he gives you bait, don't take it; if the enemy army goes home, do not stop him; if you surround an enemy army, leave one side open; if it's in a bind, don't press it.

9. When disposing of the army, talk about business, and do not go into explanations. When disposing of an army, talk about benefits, not harm.

10. For someone who knows how to attack, the enemy does not know where to defend himself; For someone who knows how to defend, the enemy does not know where to attack. The finest art!

Sun Tzu- Chinese military leader, strategist and thinker, presumably who lived in the 6th or 4th century BC. e. Wei Lao Tzu wrote about him: “There was a man who had only 30,000 troops, and no one in the Celestial Empire could resist him. Who is this? I answer: Sun Tzu." At the request of Prince Ho Lu, he wrote the subsequently famous treatise on military strategy - “The Art of War”. The ideal victory from Sun Tzu's point of view is the subjugation of others through diplomatic methods, without the use of aggression. This is the dialectic of loyalty and deception, strength and weakness, belligerence and peacefulness. Here are some quotes belonging to Sun Tzu:

If you don't know what your children are like, look at their friends.
There is no faster way to mastering knowledge than sincere love for a wise teacher.
A person’s bad qualities and actions depend on himself.
Trouble comes when people, in their laziness, forget to take care of themselves.
Newborns cry the same everywhere. When they grow up, they have different habits. This is the result of upbringing.
If you act too harshly, you will fail; if you act too softly, you yourself will find yourself in chains.
You have to study all your life, until your last breath!
A thoroughbred horse cannot cover distances of a thousand miles in one jump. On a nag you can cover this distance in ten days, if you don’t stop halfway.
When a person has a lot of free time, he will achieve little.
Wise and capable people must be promoted to positions regardless of their position; lazy and incapable people should be immediately removed from office; the main villains must be executed without waiting for their re-education; ordinary, average people need to be educated without waiting for punishment to be applied to them.
Even if a person by nature has excellent properties and wisdom, he must still receive wise teacher and follow him, he must choose his friends good people and be friends with them.
There is no need to argue with someone who likes to argue.
The ruler can be compared to a boat, and the people to water: water can carry a boat, or it can capsize it.
When you see good things, you should treat them with respect and check whether you have these qualities. When you see something bad, you should treat it with contempt and check whether you have these qualities.
When asked an indecent question, you should not answer it. When talking about indecent things, you should not ask questions. When they say indecent things, you should not listen.
Without going up high mountain, you don’t know the height of the sky. Without looking into a deep gorge in the mountains, you will not know the thickness of the earth. Without hearing the behests of your ancestors, you will not recognize the greatness of learning.
War loves victory and does not like duration.
If you sit on the bank of a river for a long time, you can see the corpse of your enemy floating along it.
The best war is to defeat the enemy's plans.
He who correctly points out my mistakes is my teacher; he who rightly marks my right actions is my friend; he who flatters me is my enemy.
Managing many is the same as managing few. It's a matter of organization.
Newborns cry the same everywhere. When they grow up, they have different habits. This is the result of upbringing.
Even if a person by nature has excellent qualities and wisdom, he must still receive a wise teacher and follow him, he must choose good people as friends and be friends with them.
What happens without the participation of man’s labor, and what he receives apart from his desires, constitutes the activity of heaven... When a person refuses to do what is intended for him and expects heaven to do everything for him, he is mistaken.

To be continued…

The wittiest aphorisms and quotes. The Art of War

Preliminary calculations

War is a great thing for the state, it is the ground of life and death, it is the path of existence and death. This needs to be understood.

War is the path of deception. Therefore, even if you can do something, show your opponent that you cannot; if you use something, show him that you don’t use it; even if you are close, show that you are far away; even if you are far away, show that you are close; lure him with benefits; upset him and take him; if he is full, be ready; if it is strong, avoid it; by arousing anger in him, bring him into a state of frustration; Having assumed a humble appearance, arouse conceit in him; if his strength is fresh, tire him out; if he is friendly, separate him; attack him when he is not ready; perform when he doesn't expect it.

Who – even before the battle – wins preliminary calculation, he has a lot of chances; whoever - even before the battle - does not win by calculation has little chance. The one who has many chances wins; those who have little chance do not win; especially the one who has no chance at all. Therefore, for me - at the sight of this one thing - victory and defeat are already clear.

If you have a thousand light chariots and a thousand heavy ones, a hundred thousand soldiers, if provisions must be sent a thousand miles, then internal and external expenses, expenses for receiving guests, material for varnish and glue, equipment for chariots and weapons - all this will amount to a thousand gold pieces. day. Only in this case can an army of one hundred thousand be raised.

Waging war

If a war is waged and victory is delayed, the weapon becomes dull and the edges break off; if they besiege a fortress for a long time, their forces are undermined; if the army is left in the field for a long time, the state does not have enough funds.

When the weapon becomes dull and the edges break off, the strength is undermined and the means dry up, the princes, taking advantage of your weakness, will rise up against you. Even if you have smart servants then, you won’t be able to do anything after that.

Therefore, in war we heard about success with its speed, even if it was conducted unskillfully, and we have not yet seen success with its duration, even with the skill of its conduct.

It has never happened before that a war lasted for a long time and this would be beneficial to the state. Therefore, anyone who does not fully understand all the harm from war cannot fully understand all the benefits from war.

He who knows how to wage war does not recruit twice, does not load provisions three times; he takes equipment from his own state, but takes provisions from the enemy. That's why he has enough food for the soldiers.

During the war, the state becomes poorer because provisions are transported far away. When food needs to be transported far away, the people become poorer.

Those close to the army sell high; and when they sell at a high price, the people's funds are exhausted; when funds are depleted, it is difficult to fulfill duties.

Strength is being undermined, funds are drying up in our country - the houses are empty; the people's property is reduced by seven tenths; the ruler's property - the war chariots were broken, the horses were exhausted; helmets, armor, bows and arrows, spears and small shields, pikes and large shields, oxen and carts - all this is reduced by six tenths.

Therefore, a smart commander tries to feed himself at the expense of the enemy. Moreover, one pound of the enemy’s food corresponds to twenty pounds of our own; one pound of the enemy’s bran and straw corresponds to twenty pounds of our own.

If ten or more chariots are captured during a chariot battle, distribute them as a reward to those who captured them first, and change the banners on them. Mix these chariots with yours and ride them. Treat the soldiers well and take care of them. This is called: defeating the enemy and increasing your strength.

War loves victory and does not like duration.

Therefore, a commander who understands war is the ruler of the destinies of the people, he is the master of the security of the state.

Strategic attack

According to the rules of warfare, the best thing is to keep the enemy state intact, and in second place is to crush that state. The best thing is to keep the enemy army intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy brigade intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy battalion intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy company intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. The best thing is to keep the enemy platoon intact, the second best thing is to defeat it. Therefore, fighting a hundred times and winning a hundred times is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to conquer someone else's army without fighting.

Therefore, the best war is to defeat the enemy’s plans; in the next place - to break his alliances; in the next place - to defeat his troops. The worst thing is to besiege a fortress. According to the rules of the siege of fortresses, such a siege should be carried out only when it is unavoidable. The preparation of large shields, siege chariots, the construction of embankments, and the preparation of equipment requires three months; however, the commander, unable to overcome his impatience, sends his soldiers to attack like ants; in this case, one third of the officers and soldiers are killed, and the fortress remains untaken. Such are the disastrous consequences of a siege.

Therefore, he who knows how to wage war conquers another's army without fighting; takes other people's fortresses without besieging them; crushes a foreign state without holding his army for long. He makes sure to keep everything intact and thereby challenges the power in the Middle Kingdom. Therefore, it is possible to have a benefit without blunting the weapon: this is the rule of strategic attack.

The rule of war is: if you have ten times more forces than the enemy, surround him on all sides; if you have five times more strength, attack him; if you have twice as much strength, divide it into parts; if the forces are equal, be able to fight him; if you have less strength, be able to defend yourself from him; If your army is generally worse, be able to evade it. Therefore, those who persist with small forces become prisoners of a strong enemy.

A commander for a state is like a fastening on a cart: if this fastening is tightly fitted, the state will certainly be strong; if the fastening is loosened, the state will certainly be weak.

Therefore, the army suffers from its sovereign in three cases:

When he, not knowing that the army should not march, orders it to march; when he, not knowing that the army should not retreat, orders it to retreat; this means that he binds the army.

When he, not knowing what an army is, applies to its management the same principles that govern the state; then the commanders in the army become confused.

When he, not knowing what army tactics are, is guided in appointing a commander by the same principles as in the state; then the commanders in the army become confused.

When the army becomes confused and confused, trouble comes from the princes. This means: to upset your army and give victory to the enemy.

Therefore, they know that they will win in five cases: they win if they know when to fight and when not to; they win when they know how to use both large and small forces; they win where the higher and the lower have the same desires; they win when they themselves are careful and wait for the enemy’s carelessness; those who have talented commanders and whose sovereign does not lead them win. These five principles are the path to knowing victory.

That is why it is said: if you know him and know yourself, fight at least a hundred times, there will be no danger; if you know yourself, but don’t know him, you will win once, another time you will be defeated; If you don’t know yourself or him, every time you fight you will be defeated.

In ancient times, those who fought well first of all made themselves invincible and, in this state, waited until they could defeat the enemy.

Invincibility lies in oneself, the possibility of victory lies in the enemy.

Therefore, one who fights well can make himself invincible, but cannot force his opponent to necessarily allow himself to be defeated.

That is why it is said: “Victory can be known, but it cannot be achieved.”

Invincibility is defense; The opportunity to win is an offensive.

When they are on the defensive, it means there is something lacking; when they attack, it means there is everything in abundance.

He who defends himself well hides in the depths of the underworld; he who attacks well acts from the heights of heaven.

Anyone who sees victory no more than other people is not the best of the best. When someone, fighting, wins and the Celestial Empire says: “Good,” this will not be the best of the best.

The Art of War
(Sun Tzu)

War is based on cunning. Use all your tricks to confuse the enemy.
If the enemy is calm in all respects and looks completely safe for you, get ready to meet him.
If your opponent is angry, tease him. Pretend to be weak to awaken his insolence. If he's relaxed and wants to rest, don't leave him alone.
If the forces are united and united, divide them. Your winning plans should not be revealed ahead of time.
Careful calculations lead to victory, and their lack of calculations lead to defeat.
When starting a battle, you should strive for a quick victory, otherwise the weapons of your soldiers will be dulled in vain, and they themselves will gradually lose their ardor.
Prolonged operations may be a consequence of the aging of the army and the exhaustion of its forces, the emptying of the treasury and the plight of the people...
Get food on enemy territory.
A siege of a city should be carried out only when it cannot be avoided.
The one whose army is inspired by a single impulse from bottom to top will win. Being prepared yourself, strive to take the enemy by surprise. Who himself has the knowledge of warfare and in whose affairs the ruler of the country does not interfere.
Offense is the secret of defense; In defense, plans for attack are born.
The best warriors of the past first protected themselves from danger, and then looked for an opportunity to defeat the enemy.
The ancients considered a smart fighter to be one who does not win easily, but wins easily.
Avoiding mistakes is the key to victory.
A real leader monitors the state of morale in his troops.
In order for the army to withstand the main blow of the advancing enemy, it is necessary to resort to various types of maneuvers - direct and roundabout.
The direct method of warfare comes down to frontal attacks, the indirect method - to attacks from the rear.
In battle, the direct method can be used to enter the battle, but to ensure victory, the indirect, roundabout method is used.
If we have powerful forces than as an enemy, in order to deceive him we can feign weakness; but if, on the contrary, we must make him believe in our strength.
If the enemy is the attacking party, then we must cut his lines of communication and occupy the roads along which he will return.
Presence of spirit is the main quality of a commander.
A soldier's morale is highest in the morning.
Don't push too hard on an enemy already in dire straits.
You should not attack a city that, once taken, cannot be held, and if left alone, will not cause you trouble.
Weaken the leaders of the enemy side by harming them, causing them anxiety...
Lure me over the smartest people the enemy - so that he is left without advisers. Stir up intrigue and create discord between the ruler of the country and his ministers. Use all your ingenuity to reduce the number of his closest associates and empty his treasury. Influence his moral state with the help beautiful women.
You cannot stop learning. (Sun Tzu)
When a person has too much free time, he does not achieve much. (Sun Tzu)
Only movement brings victory. (Sun Tzu)
If you act too harshly, you will fail, and if you act too softly, you yourself will find yourself in chains. (Sun Tzu)
What is first required for battle is knowledge of the enemy. (Sun Tzu)

Five ailments of a commander:
1. Recklessness (reckless courage that blinds a person). The willingness to sacrifice oneself will not ensure victory.
2. Cowardice, timidity, which prevents you from moving forward in order to gain an advantage,...i.e. risk aversion.
3. Hot temper, which can be quickly awakened by insults from the enemy... it is easy to provoke him into rash actions.
4. Too strict attitude towards the concept of honor and the ability to feel shame... increased sensitivity to information that discredits a person’s reputation.
Anyone who wants to show his strength should not care about public opinion.
5. Too much concern for one's soldiers, leading to a weakening of discipline... a determination to no longer subordinate the general interest to the care of individuals.

You should think about this.

If there is chaos in the camp, this indicates the weak authority of the commander.
Excessive punishment is also a sign of extreme distress.
If we do not have a numerical advantage, this does not mean that we should shy away from battle; it only means that we should not resort to direct attack.
However, we should avoid attracting foreign mercenaries to our cause; their real value will not exceed half.
The military profession requires a combination of cruelty and gentleness.
Indecision and pickiness - the surest ways undermine the trust of the army.
In every battle, the place of the bravest is first - both to strengthen the resolve of our people and to strike fear into the souls of our enemies.
Look at the soldiers as sons - and they will stand by you until the end.
Use all your energy to get ahead of the enemy and take an advantageous position.
If you fight with all your might, you will have a chance to survive; you will certainly die if you cower in a corner.
... drive a wedge between the advanced units and the enemy rear so that the vanguard and rear lose contact with each other.
Speed is the essence of war.
On captured land, keep in mind: the further you penetrate into the interior of the country, the stronger the mutual support of your units will become, so in this sense you will have an advantage over your enemy.
Keep a close eye on the well-being of your soldiers and don't put too much strain on them. Concentrate your energy and accumulate your strength.
Keep your army in constant motion so that the enemy can never know exactly where you are.
Being in a desperate situation, the soldier loses his sense of fear.
Do not contact prophetic signs(signs, omens) and do not allow the spread of superstitions. Then until death the soldiers will have nothing to fear.
If all doubts and hesitations are eliminated, the soldiers will always be ready for decisive action.
Soldiers are only people, and a commander needs to keep that in mind. So that they do not have the desire to evade battle or become rich.
Put them in a hopeless situation and they will show miracles of heroism.
The commander must be calm and balanced, which is the key to maintaining secrecy.
He must be able to deceive his officers and men by false information and deliberate actions, and thus keep them, if necessary, in complete ignorance.
People should not get into your plans when they have just been drawn up, they should only share your joy over the successful implementation of these plans.
The duty of a commander is to gather his army and lead it to danger.
...after mobilization, you must immediately prepare the army to strike the enemy.
Our goal: to make the enemy relax and forget about the danger before we rush at him.
Give your soldiers a specific task, never introduce them to your plans; do not give reasons for your orders.
...an enlightened sovereign makes his plans, looking into the future; good commander develops its resources.
Put your army in a desperate situation and it will be safe.
The real goal of war is peace.

Spies
...the only way to get information is through the use of spies; however, it is impossible to recruit reliable spies unless they are properly paid for their services...
... seems to be an unreasonable economy based on the reluctance to spend a generally insignificant amount for these purposes, while waging war consumes more money every day.
Using spies:
1. Local spies... in the enemy's country, one should win the hearts of good treatment...
2. Internal spies can be found among enemy officials... people dismissed from service, criminals undergoing punishment, concubines greedy for gold, people who are painfully aware of their subordinate position,... who were passed over in the distribution of ranks,... simply inclined, due to their nature, to betrayal.
3. Converted spies are those whom we intercept from the enemy and convert to our advantage... provide him with false information that he will spread among himself.
4. We deal with doomed spies when we do something openly - to deceive, and allow our spies to find out about it and inform the enemy.
...we do things on purpose to deceive our own spies...
5. Surviving spies are those who bring information obtained from the enemy camp...essentially, part of the army.
Your surviving spy should be a man of living intelligence who looks like a fool; Beneath his homely appearance there must be an iron will. He must be dexterous, resilient, strong and of course brave. He should be used to various kinds dirty work, cold and hunger, as well as all kinds of humiliation.
Therefore, spies have absolutely exceptional authority in the army.
Exceptional generosity must be shown towards spies.
Beware of their possible transfer to the enemy's service.
The mobility of the army depends on the espionage service.

Miscellaneous

The main principle of propaganda is visibility
There was a world law here: the one who is tougher wins. (Solzhenitsyn)
The West was doomed precisely because it lived well - and did not have the will to risk its life in order to defend this life. (Solzhenitsyn)

Aquarium
(V. Suvorov)

If you want to recruit a person, you must first of all hold his gaze. Friendship begins with a smile, recruitment begins with a glance.
The first thing a spy is taught is to look into the eyes of his interlocutor: they are taught to withstand long glances, they are taught to wield their gaze like a military weapon.

An easy life is a hindrance to development.
Theorists have clean hands, performers have a clear conscience.

No matter how much we have, the dream always gets ahead of reality again, and we want something again.
Everyone wants to live beautifully. But everyone else gets in the way of living the way they want. And no one bothers you to die beautifully. And we must use this.

Protocols
(Klimov)

o There are no hopeless situations, there are only people who cannot find a way out.
o Few suspect that the art of silence and listening is a rather rare quality among people. The word is silver, silence is gold.
o Youth is a barometer of the people.
o Gradually, psychological warfare is increasingly turning into a war of psychos.