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    The Art of War - an Andy McNab War Classic: The beautifully reproduced 1910 edition, with introduction by Andy McNab, Critical Notes by Lionel Giles, M.A. and illustrations
    The Art of War - an Andy McNab War Classic: The beautifully reproduced 1910 edition, with introduction by Andy McNab, Critical Notes by Lionel Giles, M.A. and illustrations
    The Art of War - an Andy McNab War Classic: The beautifully reproduced 1910 edition, with introduction by Andy McNab, Critical Notes by Lionel Giles, M.A. and illustrations
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    The Art of War - an Andy McNab War Classic: The beautifully reproduced 1910 edition, with introduction by Andy McNab, Critical Notes by Lionel Giles, M.A. and illustrations

    By Sun Tzu and Andy McNab

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    About this ebook

    - Introduction by SAS and Gulf War hero Andy McNab DCM MM

    - The 1910 edition of The Art of War

    - Includes a series of illustrations and photographs

    - Translated from Chinese by scholar Lionel Giles

    - Bonus material: introduction and notes by Lionel Giles

    - Beautifully formatted in this Apostrophe Books edition

    From the battlefield to the boardroom, The Art of War has been the definitive book on strategy for more than 2,000 years.

    General Sun Tzu’s work, still required reading for CIA officers today, has decided battles in conflicts throughout the world, and has been used in warfare by the likes of US generals Colin Powell and Norman Schwarzkopf, Chairman Mao, and the fearsome armies of the Vietcong.

    Its focus on outsmarting your opponent without resorting to warfare has also seen it put to use in both the workplace and the sports field, and is famously studied by sports coaches such as Luiz Felipe ‘Big Phil’ Scolari, whose World Cup-winning Brazil side of 2002 read it cover to cover.

    “Victorious warriors win first and then go to war,” wrote Sun Tzu, “while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.”

    Now read the masterpiece in this beautifully-produced Apostrophe Books edition with an introduction by Gulf War legend and bestselling author Andy McNab – the British Army’s most highly decorated serving soldier when he left the SAS.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherApostrophe Books Ltd
    Release dateOct 21, 2013
    ISBN9781908556844
    The Art of War - an Andy McNab War Classic: The beautifully reproduced 1910 edition, with introduction by Andy McNab, Critical Notes by Lionel Giles, M.A. and illustrations
    Author

    Sun Tzu

    Sun Tzu, also known as Sun Wu or Sunzi, was an ancient Chinese military strategist believed to be the author of the acclaimed military text, The Art of War. Details about Sun Tzu’s background and life are uncertain, although he is believed to have lived c. 544-496 BCE. Through The Art of War, Sun Tzu’s theories and strategies have influenced military leaders and campaigns throughout time, including the samurai of ancient and early-modern Japan, and more recently Ho Chi Minh of the Viet Cong and American generals Norman Swarzkopf, Jr. and Colin Powell during the Persian Gulf War in the 1990s.

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      The Art of War - an Andy McNab War Classic - Sun Tzu

      The Art of War

      THE OLDEST MILITARY TREATISE IN THE WORLD

      Translated from the Chinese with Introduction and Critical Notes

      BY

      LIONEL GILES, M.A.

      Assistant in the Department of Oriental Printed Books

      and MSS. in the British Museum

      First Published in 1910

      www.apostrophebooks.com

      To my brother Captain Valentine Giles, R.G.

      in the hope that a work 2,400 years old may yet contain lessons worth consideration by the soldier of today this translation is affectionately dedicated.

      Contents

      INTRODUCING THE ART OF WAR

      I. Laying Plans

      II. Waging War

      III. Attack by Stratagem

      IV. Tactical Dispositions

      V. Energy

      VI. Weak Points and Strong

      VII. Manoeuvring

      VIII. Variation in Tactics

      IX. The Army on the March

      X. Terrain

      XI. The Nine Situations

      XII. The Attack by Fire

      XIII. The Use of Spies

      BONUS MATERIAL

      PUBLISHING INFORMATION

      INTRODUCING THE ART OF WAR

      ANDY McNAB writes:

      "The Art of War, Sun Tzu’s thirteen-chapter guide to strategy, might date from about 500 BC, but in my opinion it’s still one of the most important military textbooks ever written. In Asia, even civilians know it by name and you’ll find it on the mainstream bookshelves of all bookstores . . ."

      Read more in a moment of what Andy has to say about Sun Tzu’s classic - but first, a few words about Andy himself, and Sun Tzu’s life and the time in which he wrote.

      ABOUT ANDY McNAB DCM MM

      Andy McNab joined the infantry at the age of sixteen and was a British soldier for eighteen years. ‘Badged’ as a member of 22 Special Air Service Regiment in 1984, he was involved for the next ten years in both covert and overt special operations worldwide.

      During the Gulf War he commanded Bravo Two Zero, a patrol that, in the words of his commanding officer, ‘will remain in regimental history for ever’. Awarded both the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and Military Medal (MM) during his military career, McNab was the British Army’s most highly decorated serving soldier when he finally left the SAS.

      He wrote about his experiences in three books: the phenomenal bestseller Bravo Two Zero, Immediate Action and Seven Troop. He is the author of the bestselling Nick Stone thrillers.

      Besides his writing work, he lectures to security and intelligence agencies in both the USA and UK and is on the board of a private security company operating in hazardous environments.

      Now Andy McNab has joined forces with ApostropheBooks.com to bring you some of the world’s greatest military classics.

      SUN TZU

      All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when we are able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must appear inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

      The Art of War, Sun Tzu’s systematic guide to strategy and tactics for rulers and commanders, dates from about 500 BC, but it remains one of the most important military textbooks ever written.

      It has had a huge influence on Eastern and Western military thinking, business tactics, legal strategy and beyond. Leaders as diverse as Mao Zedong, General Vo Nguyen Giap and General Douglas MacArthur have drawn inspiration from the work.

      Even today, it is still listed on the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program. During the Gulf War in the 1990s, Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell both employed principles from Sun Tzu related to deception, speed, and striking one’s enemy’s weak points.

      Sun Tzu discusses various manoeuvres and the effect of terrain on the outcome of battles. He emphasizes the importance of accurate information about the enemy’s forces, dispositions, deployments and movements: Know the enemy and know yourself, he says, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat. He also stresses the unpredictability of battle and the need for flexible strategies and tactics.

      Sun Tzu’s emphasis on the close relationship between political considerations and military policy greatly influenced some modern strategists. The Chinese communists took many of the tactics they utilized in fighting the Japanese from The Art of War - and, later, the Chinese Nationalists – and some even argue that a modern interpretation of Sun Tzu and his importance throughout Chinese history is critical in understanding China’s push to becoming a superpower in the 21st century. They see a direct relationship between China’s modern struggles and those of Sun Tzu’s time. To understand modern China, they say, you have to understand Sun Tzu’s The Art Of War.

      History

      The Art of War is attributed to Sun Tzu, a high-ranking military general, strategist and tactician alive in 500 BC. The text is composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare. It is known to be the definitive work on military strategy and tactics of its time, and has remained the most important military treatise in Asia, where even the man in the street knows it by name.

      Sun Tzu, a military general, strategist and philosopher who served the state of Wu near the end of the Spring and Autumn Period (770–476 BC), is traditionally considered the author of The Art of War. The name he is best known by – Sun Tzu - is an honorific meaning Master Sun. He was born as Sun Wu and known outside his family by the style name Changqing.

      One of the more well-known stories about Sun Tzu is that, before hiring him, the King of Wu tested Sun Tzu’s skills by commanding him to train a harem of 180 concubines into soldiers. Sun Tzu divided them into two companies, appointing the two concubines most favoured by the king as the company commanders. When Sun Tzu first ordered the concubines to face right, they giggled. In response, Sun Tzu said that the general, in this case himself, was responsible for ensuring that soldiers understood the commands given to them. Then, he reiterated the command, and again the concubines giggled. Sun Tzu then ordered the execution of the king’s two favored concubines, to the king’s protests. He explained that if the general’s soldiers understood their commands but did not obey, it was the fault of the officers. Sun Tzu also said that, once a general was appointed, it was his duty to carry out his mission, even if the king protested. After both concubines were killed, new officers were chosen to replace them. Afterwards, both companies, now well aware of the costs of further frivolity, performed their manoeuvres flawlessly.

      Sun Tzu later proved on the battlefield that his theories were effective and he wrote The Art of War based on his tested expertise.

      The Art of War (Master Sun’s Rules for Soldiers) presents a philosophy of war for managing conflicts and winning battles. It is a masterpiece on strategy and has been frequently used and referred to by generals and theorists since it was first published, translated, and distributed internationally.

      Of the military texts written before the unification of China and Shi Huangdi’s subsequent book burning in the second century BC, six major works have survived. During the much later Song Dynasty, these six works were combined with a Tang text into a collection called the Seven Military Classics. As a central part of that compilation, The Art of War formed the foundations of orthodox military theory in early modern China. The book was required reading to pass the tests needed for imperial appointment to military positions. The 13 chapters

      Sun Tzu considered war as a necessary evil that must be avoided whenever possible. The war should be fought swiftly to avoid economic losses: No long war ever profited any country: one hundred victories in one hundred battles is simply ridiculous. Anyone who excels in defeating his enemies triumphs before his enemy’s threats become real.

      According to The Art Of War, one must avoid massacres and atrocities because this can provoke resistance and possibly allow an enemy to turn the war in his favour. For the victor, the best policy is to capture the state intact; it should be destroyed only if no other options are available,

      Sun Tzu stressed the importance of positioning in military strategy. The decision to position an army must be based on both objective conditions in the physical environment and the subjective beliefs of other, competitive actors in that environment.

      He thought that strategy was not planning in the sense of ticking boxes on a list, but rather that it requires quick and appropriate responses to changing conditions.

      The Art of War is divided into 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare:

      1. Laying Plans/The Calculations

      2. Waging War/The Challenge

      3. Attack by Stratagem/The Plan of Attack

      4. Tactical Dispositions/Positioning

      5. Energy/Directing

      6. Weak Points & Strong/Illusion and Reality

      7. Manoeuvring/Engaging The Force

      8. Variation in Tactics/The Nine Variations

      9. The Army on the March/Moving The Force

      10. Terrain/Situational Positioning

      11. The Nine Situations/Nine Terrains

      12. The Attack by Fire/Fiery Attack

      13. The Use of Spies/The Use of Intelligence

      Military and intelligence

      In many East Asian countries, The Art of War was part of the syllabus for potential candidates of military service examinations.

      China’s first historical emperor, Qin’s Shi Huangdi, considered the book invaluable in ending the time of the Warring States.

      The Art of War was introduced into Japan AD 760 and the book quickly became popular among Japanese generals. Mastery of its teachings was honoured among the samurai.

      During the Sengoku era in Japan, a daimyo named Takeda Shingen (1521–1573) is said to have become almost invincible in all battles without relying on guns, because he studied The Art of War. The book even gave him the inspiration for his famous battle standard Furinkazan (Wind, Forest, Fire and Mountain), meaning fast as the wind, silent as a forest, ferocious as fire and immovable as a mountain.

      It remained popular among the Imperial Japanese armed forces. The Admiral of the Fleet Togo Heihachiro, who led Japan’s forces to victory in the Russo-Japanese War, was an avid reader of Sun Tzu.

      In the 20th century, the Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong partly credited his 1949 victory over Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang to The Art of War. The work strongly influenced Mao’s On Guerrilla Warfare, On the Protracted War and Strategic Problems of China’s Revolutionary War, and includes Mao’s quote: We must not belittle the saying in the book of Sun Wu Tzu, the great military expert of ancient China, ‘Know your enemy and know yourself and you can fight a thousand battles without disaster.’

      Ho Chi Minh translated the work for his Vietnamese officers to study. His general Vo Nguyen Giap was an avid student and practitioner of Sun Tzu’s ideas, successfully implementing his tactics during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, ending major French involvement in Indochina and leading to the accords which partitioned Vietnam into North and South.

      During the Vietnam War, some Vietcong officers could recite entire passages from memory. General Giap, now the main PVA military commander, used Sun Tzu’s teachings to engineer victory. America’s defeat, more than any other event, brought Sun Tzu to the attention of leaders of American military theory.

      The Department of the Army in the United States, through its Command and General Staff College, directed all units to maintain libraries within their respective headquarters for the continuing education of personnel in the art of war. The Art of War is mentioned as an example of works to be maintained at each facility, and staff duty officers are obliged to prepare short papers for presentation to other officers on their readings.

      The Art of War is listed on the Marine Corps Professional Reading Program (formerly known as the Commandant’s Reading List). It is recommended reading for all United States Military Intelligence personnel and is required reading for all CIA officers.

      Finnish Field Marshal Mannerheim and General Aksel Airo were avid readers of Art of War and used its tactics to defeat the Russian army in the Winter War of 1939-40.

      According to some authors, the strategy of deception from The Art of War was studied and widely used by the KGB: "I will force the enemy to take our strength for weakness, and our weakness for strength, and thus will turn his strength into weakness." The book is widely cited by KGB officers in charge of disinformation operations in Vladimir Volkoff’s novel Le Montage.

      Beyond the military

      The Art of War has been applied to many fields well outside of the military. The text outlines theories of battle, but also advocates diplomacy and cultivating relationships with other nations as essential to the health of a state.

      Much of the text is about how to fight wars without actually having to do battle: it gives tips on how to outsmart one’s opponent so that physical battle is not necessary. As such, it has found application as a training guide for many competitive endeavors that do not involve actual combat.

      There are business books applying its lessons to office politics and corporate strategy. Many Japanese companies make the book required reading for their key executives. The book is also popular among Western business management, who have turned to it for inspiration and advice on how to succeed in competitive business situations. It has also been applied to the field of education.

      The Art of War has been the subject of law books and legal articles on the trial process, including negotiation tactics and trial strategy.

      The Art of War has also been applied in the world of sport. In the US, NFL coach Bill Belichick is known to have read the book and used its lessons to gain insights in preparing for games. Australian cricket coaches, as well as Brazilian football coaches Luis Felipe Scolari and Carlos Alberto Parreira are known to have embraced the text. Scolari made the Brazilian World Cup squad of 2002 study the ancient work during their successful campaign.

      About this translation

      The Art Of War was first translated into French in 1772 by French Jesuit Jean Joseph Marie Amiot, and a partial translation into English was attempted by British officer Everard Ferguson Calthrop in 1905. This, the first annotated English language translation, was completed and published by Lionel Giles in 1910.

        When Lionel Giles began his translation of Sun Tzu›s Art Of War, the work was virtually unknown beyond China. Its introduction to Europe began in 1782 when a French Jesuit priest living in China, Joseph Amiot, acquired a copy of it, and translated it into French. It was not a good translation because, according to Dr. Giles, It contains a great deal that Sun Tzu did not write, and very little indeed of what he did.

        The first translation into English was published in Tokyo in 1905 by Captain E F Calthrop, RFA. However, this translation is, in the words of Dr Giles, «excessively bad.» In 1908 a new edition of Calthrop›s translation was published in London. It was an improvement on the first but new errors were created. Lionel Giles wrote: «I could not help feeling that Sun Tzu deserved a better fate than had befallen him, and I knew that, at any rate, I could hardly fail to improve on the work of my predecessors.»

        Dr Giles was an assistant in the Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts in the British Museum at the time. There have been later translators, but his 1910 edition is still considered the most faithful to the original.

      ANDY McNAB – THE FINAL WORD ON SUN TZU:

      The Art of War, Sun Tzu’s thirteen-chapter guide to strategy, might date from about 500 BC, but in my view it still remains one of the most important military textbooks ever written. In Asia, even civilians know it by name and you’ll find it on the mainstream bookshelves of all bookstores.

      As a young soldier, I bought a copy in Hong Kong from a newsstand. If a 20-year-old infantry soldier felt the need to buy a copy, I have no doubt that all the great military writers have been influenced by The Art of War - and many recent military leaders certainly have.

      General Douglas MacArthur drew inspiration from the work while fighting the Japanese, decades before the US military embraced Sun Tzu’s teaching. MacArthur knew the Japanese were students of Sun Tzu and the general had taken to heart one of Sun Tzu’s thoughts: Know the enemy and know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles with no danger of defeat.

      It was America’s defeat in the Vietnam War, more than any other event, which brought Sun Tzu to the attention of the US military. Ho Chi Minh had translated the work for his Vietcong officers, who could recite entire passages from memory. General Giap, his military commander, used Sun Tzu’s teachings to engineer victory. Ever since, The Art of War has been recommended reading for all United States Military, intelligence personnel and CIA officers.

      During the Gulf War in the 1990s, Generals Norman Schwarzkopf and Colin Powell, both Vietnam vets, employed principles from Sun Tzu related to deception, speed, and striking one’s enemy’s weak points.

      But The Art of War isn’t just a book the military have embraced - so has sport. From the NFL to World Cup football, The Art of War has lessons on how to win, no matter what the battlefield is. The same goes for the business world and international relations. Sun Tzu has played such an important in China’s history that The Art of War is a key to understanding modern China and its philosophy on how to become a superpower.

      I. Laying Plans

      1. Sun Tzu said: The art of war is of vital importance to the State.

      2. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected.

      3. The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one’s deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field.

      4. These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

      5,6. The Moral Law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler, so that they will follow him regardless of their lives, undismayed by any danger.

      7. Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.

      8. Earth comprises distances, great and small; danger and security; open ground and narrow passes; the chances of life and death.

      9. The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.

      10. By method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions, the graduations of rank among the officers, the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army, and the control of military expenditure.

      11. These five heads should be familiar to every general: he who knows them will be victorious; he who knows them not will fail.

      12. Therefore, in your deliberations, when seeking to determine the military conditions, let them be made the basis of a comparison, in this wise:—

      13. (1) Which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the Moral law?

      (2) Which of the two generals has most ability?

      (3) With whom lie the advantages derived from Heaven and Earth?

      (4) On which side is discipline most rigorously enforced?

      (5) Which army is stronger?

      (6) On which side are officers and men more highly trained?

      (7) In which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment?

      14. By means of these seven considerations I can forecast victory or defeat.

      15. The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat:—let such a one be dismissed!

      16. While heading the profit of

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