INRODUCTION

Book Title: The Art of War

Created by: Sun Tzu
Translated by: Dr. Lionel Giles, M.A. (1910)
Genre: Classic
Subject: Military art and science

This purpose of this book review is to analyze the book in order to give an insight into
the deeper meaning of the important concepts in the book. It aims to demonstrate the practical
applications of those concepts to real world scenarios.

BACKGROUND

About 2,300 years ago in what is now north China, a lineage of military leaders put
their collective wisdom into written form for the first time. Their text was to shape the
strategic thinking of all East Asia. It offered a radically new perspective on conflict, whereby
one might attain victory without going to battle. Though in the West their text is called “The
Art of War”, in China it is still known as the Sun Tzu, named after the patriarch of their
lineage. Sun Tzu's Art of War is the oldest military classic known to Chinese literature and is
also the most revered and well-known military text outside China. First translated two
hundred years ago by a French missionary, “The Art of War” has been credited with
influencing Napoleon, the German General Staff, and even the planning of Operation Desert
Storm.

However, a lot of mystery surrounds the author. The only surviving source on the life
of Sun Tzu is a biography written in the 2nd century BC. It describes Sun Tzu as a general
who lived in the state of Wu in the 6th century BC and as a contemporary of one of the great
Chinese thinkers of ancient times—Confucius. However, the biography is not consistent with
other sources for the period, and both the form and content of “The Art of War” suggest it was
written between 400 BC and 320 BC. Some scholars have concluded that Sun Tzu's work was
actually authored by unknown Chinese philosophers and that Sun Tzu did not actually exist as
a historical figure! There is, however no confirmation of any of this at this time.

Dr. Lionel Giles was a leading sinologist and an assistant in the Department of
Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts in the British Museum at the time he translated Sun
Tzu’s “The Art of War”. He wanted to produce an accurate translation superior to any other
existing translation of that time. Indeed he had succeeded because his is arguably the best, and
certainly the best-selling translation of Sun Tzu on the market today. His English translation
of Sun Tzu remains the standard by which all other translations are measured.

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SUMMARY

The book is not a very long one and Sun Tzu does not mince words. He gets his point
across in a very concise and precise manner. Folded into this small package are compact
views on resourcefulness, momentum, cunning, the profit motive, flexibility, integrity,
secrecy, speed, positioning, surprise, deception, manipulation, responsibility and practicality.
The book consists of thirteen chapters which explain the finer points of combat. Sun Tzu does
not map out specific plans of attack but conveys the philosophy behind the creation of such
plans.

The book aptly starts off with the importance of laying plans and estimating whether
certain factors are favorable before waging war. He emphasizes the value of deception in
warfare and the indispensability of making calculations. Following that he goes on to discuss
various details about the process of waging war and how crucial it is to have short operations
rather than prolonged ones. Then comes the third chapter which is probably my favorite.
“Attack by stratagem” is the name of the chapter and in it Sun Tzu puts forward the radical
idea of triumphing in war without even going into battle. He mentions various “offensive”
strategies which allow this, the most important of which is, knowing yourself and your enemy.
The book continues with some more tactical approaches which teach you how to defeat your
enemy before going to battle in order to guarantee victory. It talks about striking at the right
moment with all your might and momentum in order to overwhelm the enemy, and focusing
on his weaknesses and avoiding his strengths. Sun Tzu then moves on to the importance of
variation of tactics by a general and he also clearly states five dangerous faults that a general
cannot afford to have. Next he discusses numerous strategies and tactics to be followed when
leading an army on the march, taking into consideration the six different types of terrain and
nine different types of ground which may be encountered. The second last chapter includes
ways in which an army can use fire to attack its enemy and the devastating impact it can have
when used properly. Finally the book comes to an abrupt end with a chapter on the use of
different types of spies and how priceless they can be in warfare. There is no proper
conclusion by Sun Tzu and this just goes to show the keenness of the man to keep it short with
the main purpose being to convey his point without the use of any flowery language.

APPLYING THE ART OF WAR

It goes without saying that “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu has obvious military
applications and has been followed in China ever since its inception. Whoever the author of
this book is, he found committed followers in the Japanese who had been its most devoted
disciples for centuries. Sun Tzu's work has been translated into French, English, German and
Russian. The first ever such translation was in 1772 by a French Jesuit priest called Father
Amiot. It is believed that his work was read by Napoleon Bonaparte. The Russians had also
benefited from the book when the Mongol conquerors of China brought Sun Tzu's military
principles to the Russian empire. Furthermore, there are uncountable instances where “The
Art of War” has been followed by militaries even in the modern era. Some military experts
term “The Art of War” as the best short introduction to the study of warfare. Some even
considered it as the essence of conducting warfare itself.

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 However the true greatness of this book lies in the fact that it not only has military
applications but it can be used in almost every aspect of our lives. Much of the text is about
how to fight wars without actually having to do battle. It gives tips for how to out-smart your
opponent so that physical battle is not necessary. War can be interpreted as any situation of
conflict, and victory as the triumph of persuading others without ever having to battle in the
first place. This is an intriguing new angle on an age-old text.

Over the last half-century, this text has become a handbook for people all around the
world seeking to transform their approach to conflict. Whether in warfare, in business or
simply in everyday life we may find modern-day warriors turning to the Sun Tzu’s teachings.
But how might we apply this Chinese text to our lives? How can it teach us to work more
effectively with conflict? These are the central questions of this book.

The answers lie within the book itself. The text shows how to conquer without
aggression, whether our conflict is large or small, personal or national. One of the most
important statements in the book is:

“One hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the most skillful.
Subduing the other’s military without battle is the most skillful.”

“The Art of War” recommends that our response to conflict start from knowledge,
of ourselves and of the other. In chapter 3 it says:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.
If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”

Concepts like the afore-mentioned are what make the book a strategic masterpiece.
There is no surprise then that the Japanese used their own early translations of Sun Tzu's
principles and adapted them to their own purposes. Japanese scholars and military men have
carried on the tradition of practically applying Sun Tzu's “The Art of War” with notable
success. It is clear that the Japanese practice the strategies found in the book in business,
diplomacy and other circles. Many Japanese companies even make this book required reading
for their key executives!

During recent times the West has also caught on to the trick and began to realize the
benefits of applying Sun Tzu’ teachings in business especially. Many business-oriented books
have been written which use Sun Tzu’s principles to offer advice on how to succeed in
competitive business situations.

The book has also made its way into sport. John Buchanan, the coach of the Australian
national cricket team used the book in 2001 to teach his players about Sun Tzu’s principles.
Furthermore, the University of South Carolina football head coach Steve Spurrier also is a fan
of the book. Even in rugby it has been used to develop team strategy.

Indeed this timeless book is a strategic masterpiece and this is evident in the fact that
people all over the world continue to use Sun Tzu’s wisdom in their day to day lives and will
no doubt continue to do so for a long time to come.

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CONCLUSION

Sun Tzu's writing is clear and to the point. This book is not metaphorical and poetic; it
is downright practical and it is not hard to read, unlike many classics. When a person deals
with strategy in any field of endeavor, at any time and any place, he should read Sun Tzu.
This book is a "must read," for after several readings, the true greatness can be seen. When
one takes a deeper look into the militaristic content of “The Art of War”, one can gain the
ultimate prize - wisdom! If you are looking for a few words of wisdom that will change your
very outlook on the world, then Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War” is the solution.