Hello everyone, Christmas break is finally here! I have some free time and have decided to write the Art of War review today. I am really pleased with how much this series seems to be enjoyed, and feel excited to write these reviews, so thank you! Here is Part 9: The Army on the March. (Please Note that I typed everything myself, and did NOT copy any online sources, however this is based on the Giles 1910 translation which is in the Public Domain).
[Image Source: pixabay.com, License: CCO Public Domain]
Art of War original text
cmp2020 commentary
The Army on the March
1. Sun Tzu said: We come now to the question of encamping the army, and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains, and keep in the neighborhood of valleys.
When strategizing be informed of your surroundings, and do not give away your plan to your competitor until it is necessary. (Real world example: In wrestling when at a regular practice, you go your hardest and use your best moves. But when warming up at a meet in front of your opponent, you only use the basic moves to get your muscles used to moving without giving away your strengths and weaknesses).
2. Camp in high places, facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order to fight. So much for mountain warfare.
Use natural situations to gain advantage. (Real world example: An entrepreneur chooses a market that he believes he has an advantage over his competitor in. He does not create the advantage, but seeks it).
3. After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.
After solving a problem, continue towards your goal without lingering in the past. (Real world example: Once you get an A on a test, you do not continue to study that unit's materials, but move on).
4. When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do not advance to meet in mid-stream. It will be best to let half the army get across, and then deliver your attack.
Deliver your move when your opponent is not entirely ready. Delivering it when they are not ready at all is predictable and may have been planned for, but delivering it when they are committed but not positioned is not predictable.
5. If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader near a river which he has to cross.
Do not attempt the last strategy if you are hasty and may advance too quickly severing your advantage.
6. Moor your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun. Do not move up-stream to meet the enemy. So much for river warfare.
Build up assets that seem worthwhile before challenging your enemy. Do not take chances that are not in your favor. (Real world example: That time I gambled $200 Million dollars in minecraft currency away. Now I understand it is a bad idea to gamble, especially for me because I can't stop).
7. In crossing salt-marshes, your sole concern should be to get over them quickly, without any delay.
Do not linger in situations you are unsure success will come out of. (Real world example: If a business is in debt, it does not just sit around going about things the same way, it tries to pay the debt off as soon as possible).
8. If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, you should have water and grass near you, and get your back to a clump of trees. So much for operations in salt-marches. (SSC)
If you get caught in a bad situation, eliminate all other possibilities of surprise problems, and gain resources to solve the situation at hand. (Real world example: A wrestler who is losing because of a big ego should begin to work hard to improve and focus on technique rather than outcome).
9. In dry, level country, take up an easily accessible position with rising ground to your right and on your rear, so that the danger may be in front, and safety lie behind. So much for campaigning in flat country.
Know every situation you are in so nothing will surprise you. (Real world example: Do your homework right away to eliminate the possibility of forgetting to do it later on).
10. These are the four useful branches of military knowledge which enabled the Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.
What he said^ I don't know the yellow emperor.
11. All armies prefer high ground to low, and sunny places to dark.
Everyone seeks advantage and opportunity. (Real world example: In every deal ever made freely by two parties, both parties leave the deal believing the outcome leaves them better than they were otherwise they would not agree).
12. If you are careful of your men, and camp on hard ground, the army will be free from disease of every kind, and this will spell victory.
Eliminate the possibility of unnecessary problems amongst your ranks whether it be drama or sickness. (Real world example: When a company reviews a potential employee's resume, they look at their background and how they get along with other people, as well as their health).
13. When you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the sunny side, with the slope on your right rear. Thus you will at once act for the benefit of your soldiers and utilize the natural advantages of the ground.
Stay focused on your goals, and keep what may stop you from achieving them at bay.
14. When, in consequence of heavy rains up-country, a river which you wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam, you must wait until it subsides.
Some problems are unsolvable, so rather than waste time and effort trying to solve them, outlast them. (Real world example: When you get a bad grade on a test, their is nothing that can be done to change that, so work around it, stay focused).
15. Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running between, deep natural hollows, confined places, tangled thickets, quagmires and crevasses, should be left with all possible speed and not approached.
Do not approach problems you cannot overcome; if necessary face them as quickly as possible. (Real world example: Do not come home from school and neglect your homework for four hours to watch Netflix. If you do, you'll be tired in the morning [I've learned that one the hard way]).
16. While we keep away from such places, we should get the enemy to approach them, we should let the enemy have them on his rear.
Let your opponent destroy himself by letting him face every single problem possible whilst burning resources by competing with you. (Real world example: If a company that is not struggling sees that their competitor is in debt, they will make their products cheaper to force their competitor to declare bankruptcy).
17. If in the neighborhood of your camp there should be any hilly country, ponds surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with reeds, or woods with thick undergrowth, they must be carefully routed out and searched, for these are places where men in ambush or insidious spies are likely to be lurking.
Watch for your competitor to perform plans conspicuously. Be on guard against these plans. (Real world example: Your competitor lowering their prices).
18. When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying on the natural strength of his position.
19. When he keeps aloof and tries to provoke a battle, he is anxious for the other side to advance.
20. If his place of encampment is easy of access, he is tendering a bait.
Predict what your enemy will do by their basic emotions, or to gain advantage, and use it to lure them.
21. Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy is advancing. The appearance of a number of screens in the midst of thick grass means that the enemy wants to make us suspicious.
Do not do what the enemy is expecting, or you will be ambushed. (Real world example: In chess every checkmate is caused by one player not realizing their is a trap. If both move unpredictably, no one would win).
22. The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade. Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.
Use your surroundings to tell what is going on. (Real world example: A traffic jam outside your house tells you there is probably an accident and you should take a different route to your destination).
Part 6a: Weak Points and Strong
Part 6b: Weak Points and Strong
Part 7b: Maneuvering
Part 8: Variation in Tactics
Part 9a: The Army on the March
Thanks for reading this! Seeing as winter break is here I am going to try to post more frequently for the next week, and hopefully finish this series. If you haven't noticed I am trying to diversify what I post about to not just diversify my audience, but also keep myself entertained :) Check back for Part 9b: The Army on the March. See you tomorrow!
Also remember to check for: My weekly 7 post, and my weekly piano performance of Christmas pieces.