Sun Tzu

Introduction Sun Tzu was a military strategist best known for his masterpiece, The Art of War. The Art of War was praised by past and current leaders and continues to be studied by people in roles where there is competition. Sun Tzu was also recognized as one of the first realist in terms of political relationships. The Art of War emphasized that the general or leader must be intelligent, that victory is won through deception and strategies and the more efficient the victory the more beneficial it is for the state.

Efficiency Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit. Sun Tzu believed that a prolonged war was not beneficial for the state. The victory that is achieved in the smallest amount of time is the most beneficial one. “to subjugate the enemy's army without doing battle is the highest of excellence” As a result Sun Tzu believed that the best victory is those where you defeat the enemies plan. To achieve this, one must deploy the use of spies to gather information on your enemies.

Efficiency Continued One should avoid a battle in all costs unless the battle is inevitable. One should fight a battle only when you have ensured victory through planned strategies. Examples of these strategies in play include Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Zedong.

When to take action Sun Tzu stated that the best time to attack is when your opponents are not ready. To increase the chances of victory one must use his environments to the best of its abilities. Sometimes the most opportune times to attack may be fatal traps. But one can tell whether or not it’s a trap or not from different signs, for example if there are no birds then there is an army, if there is low dust then the footmen are walking, if there is high dust then the chariots are moving, if there are birds then there is no army.

Unified Army Their must be communication between the individuals inside of your own army. Place your army in do or die situations. Soldiers who are cowardly or unfaithful will have to fight if placed in situations where escape is impossible. The leader must command his army through benevolence but unify them with discipline. Prohibit all doubts and omens and they would never be mentioned.

Preparation A good leader must create strategies that would accommodate sudden changes. Always use the resources of your opponents as there is only a limited amount in war. By using it you benefit yourself and harm your enemies. Have spies gathering information on your enemies. Dead spies to spread false information, internal spies for the government officials, double spies, local spies for the enemy’s people. Preparation and knowledge is the foundation to victory. However, applying it in a creative and unpredictable manner is what brings victory.

Leader “He who is reckless can be killed.” “He who is cowardly can be captured.” “He who is quick tempered can be insulted.” “He who is moral can be shamed.” “He who is fond of the people can be worried” A leader cannot be reckless, cowardly, quick tempered, and moral or fond of people as it will lead to his and his countries down fall.

Leader Continued What makes a leader a great leader is his ability to conquer his foes with every move. The leader must be aware of the weaknesses and strengths that he possesses. This would allow the leader a even chance of victory. However, if he is aware of his opponent’s strengths and weaknesses then his victory is assured.