A leader leads by example not by force.

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風 Swift as the wind

林 Quiet as the forest
火 Conquer like the fire
山 Steady as the mountain
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To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.

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Opportunities multiply as they are seized.

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Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy
is the noise before defeat.

In other words, planning without action is futile, action without planning is

fatal.

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Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.

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He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot will be victorious.
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All warfare is based on deception.

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Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to
war first and then seek to win.
566 people saved it SAVE

Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.

It is said that if you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be
imperilled in a hundred battles; if you do not know your enemies but do
know yourself, you will win one and lose one; if you do not know your
enemies nor yourself, you will be imperilled in every single battle.
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Speed is the essence of war. Take advantage of the enemy's

unpreparedness; travel by unexpected routes and strike him where he has
taken no precautions.
453 people saved it SAVE

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent,

appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.
398 people saved it SAVE

Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of

organization.
392 people saved it SAVE

For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of
skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
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The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before
there are any actual hostilities... It is best to win without fighting.
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To a surrounded enemy, you must leave a way of escape.

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One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant

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If your opponent is of choleric temperament, seek to irritate him.

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Thus, what is of supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy.

What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels
in winning with ease.
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There is no instance of a nation benefitting from prolonged warfare.

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When the enemy is at ease, be able to weary him; when well fed, to starve him;
when at rest, to make him move. Appear at places to which he must hasten;
move swiftly where he does not expect you.
267 people saved it SAVE

A skilled commander seeks victory from the situation and does not demand it
of his subordinates.
261 people saved it SAVE

When torrential water tosses boulders, it is because of its momentum. When

the strike of a hawk breaks the body of its prey, it is because of timing.
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The general who advances without coveting fame and retreats without fearing
disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for
his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.
215 people saved it SAVE

It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage
against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them instructions and care
for them. Thus doubled agents are recruited and used.
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All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the
strategy out of which victory is evolved.
205 people saved it SAVE

If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly
understood, the general is to blame. But if his orders ARE clear, and the
soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.
203 people saved it SAVE

The general who wins the battle makes many calculations in his temple before
the battle is fought. The general who loses makes but few calculations
beforehand.

Subtle and insubstantial, the expert leaves no trace; divinely mysterious, he

is inaudible. Thus he is master of his enemy's fate.
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The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which

enables it to strike and destroy its victim.
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And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and
are not brought there by him.
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Too frequent rewards indicate that the general is at the end of his resources;
too frequent punishments that he is in acute distress.
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Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its
every move.
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The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat,
and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
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Now the reason the enlightened prince and the wise general conquer the
enemy whenever they move and their achievements surpass those of ordinary
men is foreknowledge.
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If you know your enemy and you know yourself you need not fear the results
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.
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The control of a large force is the same principle as the control of a few men: it
is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.
149 people saved it SAVE

The ultimate in disposing one's troops is to be without ascertainable shape.

Then the most penetrating spies cannot pry in nor can the wise lay plans
against you.

If fighting is sure to result in victory, then you must fight.