The Art of War Summary

Chanvuth Chea

Humanity 101

Professor Paul Hughes

22 August 2016

The Art of War Summary

Chapter 1 - Laying Plans. Sun Tzu that explore on the five recipes to build a victorious general, comparing and determination of the best amongst all generals, and perceptions and reality of the war environment. The five recipes to a perfect general include the moral law, heaven, earth, methods and discipline, and the commander. The MORAL LAW has an absolute principle that make people to agree with their general’s idea and follow him even if they have to face any danger that may end their life. HEAVEN is referring to a general’s knowledge of the day and night, the five, the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, and many other phenomena. A General’s knowledge of EARTH may include the safe place of his soldier to stay, the survival chances of his soldiers at a specific place and the dangerous place to avoid. The COMMANDER has to have kindness, gives courage, strictness, have good METHOD of officers ranking and ways to supply soldiers, and to have good DISIPLINE. Sun Tzu also includes the stages of choosing the best general by comparing them on their moral law, ability to modify plans, knowledge of Heaven and Earth, combat training methods, discipline enforcement and punishments, strength of his army. According to Sun Tzu, perception is different from the reality as one try to trick other. This shows us that a general who have knowledge of the five and do many calculations and expose his enemy weakness would have more chance of getting the victory but more factors can be taken into consideration in the following chapters.

Chapter 2 - Waging War. Sun Tzu made it clear on how one should think carefully before starting a war as it came at a very high cost as the army need to be supplied and many other things to be maintained that could cost thousand ounces of silver per day assuming of raising a hundred thousand men. To counteract the high cost, Sun Tzu also describe how rush attack is far better than lengthy attacks. Long lasting war put a huge strain soldiers making an army weak and it deplete the resources of the state making a state vulnerable to attacks while rush attack could bring victory at less energy and treasure. Time is very valued for skillful soldiers as they cross enemy’s frontier without delay so instead of bringing most food from home, they would eat enemy supply. Sun Tzu also discussed the augment of one’s own strength many more things that consume energy and treasure such as the maintenance of broken war gears, weapons, chariots, tools, and more that could contribute the cost up to forty percent of the total revenue so there is less room for the state’s development. To sum up, a leader decision to wage a war have a tremendous cost and responsibility; it could have a big difference in the country wealth, peacefulness and as well as the people’s fate as it cost them their life and their income.