After two weeks of chapter posting, the Art of War in Simple English has been completed. Is it just me or does it seem like Sun Tzu was cut off before he could finish with a conclusion?

It seems to me like there should be a summing up chapter along the lines of Overall Assessments, possibly just a list of 13 points that encapsulate each of the previous chapters....

.....Hmmmmmm...... maybe that is something to do in the future???

Anyway, for those who have been reading my entries (of whom I know of at least one - you know who you are), I thank you for taking the to read the interpretation of one of the grat works of all time by a recently graduated ancient historian punching way above his weight (hey, I'm not an expert on ancient Chinese dialect no matter how good my "common" English may appear)

But enough self-deprecation, again thanks to my loyal readers!!

13.1) Because military operations can take time, a good leader will make sure he knows his opponents, through intelligence gathering. Foreknowledge must be obtained from people who know the conditions of the enemy. There are five kinds of spy – local, inside, reverse, dead and living. Local spies are hired from the area you wish to learn about. Inside spies are enemy officials who work for you. Reverse spies are enemy spies turned to your side. Dead spies give false information to the enemy. Living spies are those who succeed in their work
13.2) Spies should be given the best rewards and espionage treated with the utmost secrecy
13.3) The usefulness of spies cannot be underestimated, but they have to be treated properly and with respect, for most of your following plans depend on them
13.4) If information reaches you before a spy reports it, the spy is compromised and of no use to you
13.5) Use your spies to discover the skills of enemy generals before you attack an army or besiege a city
13.6) You must find enemy spies in your midst, turn them to your side or eliminate them. Using intelligence you can recruit local and inside spies, and cause dead spies to give bad information. This shows that good intelligence breeds good intelligence
13.7) A good leader knows these five kinds of espionage
13.8) A wise leader who can use espionage properly is sure of great success. This is vital for military operations as they depend on good intelligence

12.1) There are five targets against which fire can be used – people, supplies, equipment, storehouses and weapons. The weather must be taken into account before fire is contemplated as fire requires dry and conditions to thrive and wind to spread. You should make sure to follow up on the confusion fire causes. If there is no confusion, do not attack rashly, even if the fire has reached its height
12.2) Fire can also be set in the open field but only when the time is right
12.3) If the fire is set upwind, do not attack downwind
12.4) If it is windy during the day, the night will be calm
12.5) Armies must know these uses of fire and adhere to them stringently
12.6) Fire can make the means of victory clear whereas water can divide the enemy, making them vulnerable
12.7) After victory in battle or at a siege, rewards should be given out on merit. Armies should not be mobilised when there is no advantage, action should not be taken when there is no gain and do not fight when there is no danger
12.8) Anger should not be the cause of a war. Act when it is beneficial, desist when it is not. Anger can be quelled but a destroyed nation cannot be restored and the dead cannot be given life again. A good leader is not ruled by his emotions

11.1) There are nine types of ground to do battle on. If troops are forced to fight in their own territory, they fall apart easily on this ground of dissolution
11.2) When you enter enemy territory but not far, this is light ground
11.3) Land that is advantageous to whoever gets to it first is called ground of contention
11.4) Land were both sides can come and go as they please is trafficked ground
11.5) Land that gives its controller access to several avenues of advance is intersecting ground
11.6) If you enter enemy territory deeply, going past many cities and towns, you are on heavy ground
11.7) If you have to traverse mountains, forests, marshes and steep valleys, you are on bad ground
11.8) If you find the route ahead narrow and the route behind difficult, you are on surrounded ground
11.9) If the situation calls for a quick victory with any delay being fatal, you are on dying ground
11.10) There should be no fighting on ground of dissolution, no stopping on light ground, no attack on ground of contention, no cutting off of trafficked ground. Communications must be formed on intersecting ground, plunder made on heavy ground, no stalling on bad ground, plans made on surrounded ground and fighting on dying ground
11.11) Great generals stretch their own lines of communication, make their enemies lose confidence in each other and lose concern for one another, sow dissension between their generals and rulers and confusion within their armies. Great generals fight when it is advantageous and retreat when it is not
11.12) To defeat a large, well-organised opponent, you must occupy a position of advantage, taking away any supplies or resources helpful to them and then attack their supply lines
11.13) A good military force needs speed to take advantage of unpreparedness and lack of caution
11.14) An invader who has pierced deeply into enemy territory becomes almost invincible as they are fighting to the death
11.15) Eat off the land; keep your army healthy and conserve energy when possible. Manoeuvre your troops and adapt strategies to keep the enemy guessing.
11.16) If you put your opponent in a position where they have nowhere to run, they will fight to the last man before fleeing, for desperate men do desperate things
11.17) In desperate times, men unite together to fight a common for even if they have no training
11.18) Omens can raise doubt and by getting rid of them your soldiers will never leave you. Just because your soldiers do not have any possessions and are willing to die for you does not mean they do not want material goods or to live a long time
11.19) A skilful general can counter any kind of attack swiftly
11.20) A large military force can be swift as long as the men are working towards a common goal
11.21) Restraining your cavalry takes away any advantage you have in mobility
11.22) To be successful in war you must even out the ability throughout the army so it advances as a united force
11.23) A successful general achieves the cooperation of his army to the extent that commanding the group is like commanding a single unit
11.24) A general keeps his plans secret and his armies orderly
11.25) He does not divulge orders or plans until the time is right and incites his forces to follow orders
11.26) He changes his actions and revises his plans so he cannot be anticipated
11.27) If a leader can unify his troops behind a specific goal, he brings out their full potential
11.28) Assembling armies, adapting them to the situation, taking advantage of opportunities that arise and keeping the armies healthy both in body and mind is the business of the general
11.29) So in general, armies can dissolve on the fringes, they can be isolated or surrounded in enemy territory and open ground is easily trafficked. While deep in enemy territory, fighting is heavy, but while on the fringes of enemy territory, fighting is light. When there is nowhere to go the fighting will be deadly. On ground of dissolution, you should unify the minds of your troops. On light ground, you should keep your troops in touch. On contentious ground you must be on your guard and follow up any initial success. On intersecting ground, a good defence is paramount. On trafficking ground, your supply lines are vital. On bad ground, you should escape from it as quickly as possible. On surrounded ground, your defence must be tight. On deadly ground, you can unify your men with the thought that they are fighting to the death. Soldiers resist when surrounded, fight when it cannot be avoided and obey all orders in time of extreme danger
11.30) If you do not know the plans of your opponents, you cannot form solid alliances. Those who do not know the lay of the land cannot manoeuvre their forces. If you do not employ local guides you cannot take advantage of the ground. If you attack a large enemy, relying on your wealth, your people will resent the suffering you bring upon them. If you pose an overwhelming threat to other nations they will fear you will not make alliances against you
11.31) If you do not make friends, impose your authority, extend your personal influence or threaten opponents, you make your towns and country vulnerable
11.32) Give out rewards that are not in the rules and orders that are not in the code
11.33) Employ your army like it is a single person. Motivate then with benefits and do not tell them about the harm that comes with war
11.34) If good soldiers are faced with annihilation they will do anything to strive for survival and victory
11.35) If you can figure out the intentions of the enemy you can outwit and defeat their military leadership
11.36) On the day war is declared, your borders should be closed and all foreign visitors and emissaries should be ejected
11.37) For secrecy to be maintained, all matters should be dealt with at your headquarters
11.38) When opportunities arise, take advantage. Anticipate your foe. Take things that they want. Maintain discipline and adapt to your enemy. Tempt your opponent to let his guard down

10.1) Terrain comes in all shapes and sizes. When it is passable for both sides, you should take up your position first, choosing the sunny side of any higher ground that has good supply routes
10.2) On terrain that affords easy access but a difficult retreat, you must be careful. If you attack and the enemy is unprepared you will prevail, however, if the enemy is well prepared, your attack may be blunted and your retreat will be extremely costly
10.3) If the terrain gives no advantage to either side in attacking, a stand-off will follow. Do not take the bait if the enemy entices you forward. Instead you should withdraw to induce the enemy to follow. Only when this happens should you attack
10.4) When fighting in narrow terrain, you should block the route if you arrive first. If your opponent had filled the gap, do not attack, but if he fails to block your advance, you should attack
10.5) On steep terrain, if you are first to arrive, you should occupy the sunny and high side and await your opponent. If, however, the enemy has seized the high ground the safest option is to withdraw
10.6) On the wide-open terrain there is little advantage to either side, unless one army has considerably more cavalry than his opponent
10.7) Understanding the terrain is of the utmost responsibility to a general
10.8) Those who attack ten men with one, rush. Those whose soldiers are strong but whose officers are weak, delay. Those whose officers are strong but whose soldiers are weak, fall. Those who fight out of spite, crumble.
10.9) If the generals lack authority and do not give orders clearly cannot form a consistent battle act like riot. Those who do not or cannot assess their opponents end up fighting superior forces and will be beaten
10.10) These are the ways that lead to defeat and to avoid them a general must first understand and examine them
10.11) By knowing the lay of the land and assessing the opponent will a general be victorious
10.12) Ignoring the orders of a government is acceptable when victory is assured and if it will save lives in the future. Also refusing to do battle when ordered can be preferable as civil leaders do not know when war is appropriate
10.13) If you look after your troops well, they will follow you into battle. If you treat them like your children, they will follow you to the ends of the earth and willingly die in your charge
10.14) However it is possible to spoil your troops and they will be useless in war
10.15) If you do not know the capability of your soldiers, the vulnerabilities of your enemy or the lay of the land you will only have half a chance of winning
10.16) If you know the capability of your soldiers, the vulnerabilities of enemies and the lay of the land, victory will not be in danger

9.1) While observing an opponent, stay away from the mountains but near valleys where there is water and food resources
9.2) If you are fighting in mountains make sure you are fighting downhill
9.3) If you are stranded by a river, do not meet your opponent in the water. Wait until half of them are across before attacking
9.4) Do not fight an army near water and never face an opponent who is upstream as they have the advantage of momentum
9.5) Do not linger in salt marshes but if you are forced to fight, take up a defensive position and bring the enemy to you
9.6) Keep higher ground to your rear and lower ground in front so as to makes manoeuvres easier
9.7) It is by taking advantage of this situations that your opponent will be defeated
9.8) An army prefers high ground to low as it is more easily defended and prefers light to darkness
9.9) By staying near resources and keeping physically healthy, your army becomes all the more unbeatable
9.10) By getting help from the land, such as staying on the sunny side of a hill, a military operation obtains an advantage
9.11) Try to stay away from natural ravines that are impassable or better still force your opponent to turn his back to them
9.12) Before building a camp in an area of trees, bushes and grass, you must make a thorough search as these places are vulnerable to ambush
9.13) If an enemy is nearby but still he has a good, defensive position. If he is far away but tries to provoke hostilities he wishes to draw you into a trap. If his position is easily accessible to you, it is because it is somehow advantageous to him
9.14) When the trees are moving, the enemy is coming but be wary that an enemy can use forest sand undergrowth to misdirect you
9.15) Use nature to your advantage. Look at the birds and animals. They can tell you that an enemy approaches. Dust clouds indicate cavalry or foot-soldiers on the move
9.16) Those who appear humble but continue to prepare will be difficult to resist, while those who appear strong and aggressive will be more easily pushed back
9.17) When light vehicles and cavalry deploy to the sides of a battlefield the enemy is about to array his troops to do battle
9.18) An opponent who is seeking peace but will not commit to a treaty is almost certainly plotting against you
9.19) If an enemy deploys his vehicles or cavalry without trying to engage in battle, there is a good chance that he is screening the arrival of reinforcements
9.20) If a token force of the opponent’s army moves out to meet you in battle, he is attempting to draw you into a trap
9.21) If enemy soldiers are leaning on their weapons, they are tired and hungry. If those sent to collect water, drink first, the whole army is thirsty
9.22) If the enemy is given an opportunity to inflict damage and do not, they are tired
9.23) If birds are seen settling, that place has been vacated
9.24) If you hear shouts from the enemy at night, they are afraid
9.25) If the enemy is disorderly, their general is not respected
9.26) If their signals move unsteadily, the enemy is in confusion

8.1) There should be no camping on difficult terrain; diplomatic relations should be established at borders and your forces should not be caught in isolated and barren territory. If you are surrounded, plot a surprise, but when you are on advantageous ground, you should fight.
8.2) There are always routes not to be followed, armies not to be attacked, citadels not to be besieged, territory not to be entered and civilian orders not to be followed
8.3) The best generals know how to take advantage of the ground. If leaders do not know how to adapt, despite knowing the lay of the land, they will never be considered great. Those who do not know how to adapt according to events cannot get people to work for them
8.4) The best leaders must always be prepared to consider benefit and harm as they are interdependent
8.5) A good general knows that harm restrains, work keeps others busy and profit motivates
8.6) A rule of fighting is not to hope that your opponent does not come but to have ways of dealing with them when they arrive. You cannot rely on your opponent to not attack, instead obtain a position that cannot be attacked
8.7) Someone who is ready to die can be killed; someone who wants to live can be captured; someone who is angry can be shamed; someone who is over-confident can be disgraced and someone who loves can be troubled
8.8) These five traits are faults in a leader and are potentially dangerous

7.1) Military command should receive orders from the government, then gather and organise the troops. It sounds easy but there is nothing harder than armed conflict
7.2) The difficulty is in making long distances short and making problems into advantages
7.3) Leading your opponent on a wild goose chase gives you the strategic advantage of being able to pick the battlefield
7.4) Armed conflict can be profitable but is always dangerous
7.5) Mobilising the entire army takes too long but taking too few troops will result in defeat. If you march day and night only your strong soldiers will survive and if attacked even they will fall
7.6) An army will perish if it does not have equipment, food or money
7.7) Good military decisions cannot be made if you do not know the plans of your competition
7.8) If you do not know the lay of the land, you cannot manoeuvre an army. If you do not use local guides, you will not know the advantages of the terrain
7.9) An army is prepared through deception, mobilised when there is an advantage and adapted in reaction to the enemy
7.10) A good army can be swift but quiet, slow but hidden, vicious but controlled and impregnable but flexible
7.11) If your momentum can go unseen, you can attack so fast that no one can get out of your way
7.12) When plundering you should divide your troops but you should divide spoils among your troops
7.13) Once you have made your assessments and worked out the logistics of travel, you must act
7.14) Cymbals, drums, banners and flags are used to co-ordinate groups
7.15) During a night conflict, fires and drums should be used to alert and move forces
7.16) By taking away the energy of your opponents and the heart of their generals, you ensure victory
7.17) Those who are skilled in fighting will pick to fight an opponent at a time when their enemy’s energy is waning
7.18) By using the order and calm to deal with disorder, a leader can prove himself
7.19) If you can control the battlefield while awaiting the enemy, you can await in comfort and on a full stomach
7.20) A good leader must avoid confrontation with orderly formations and defensive positions
7.21) Do not attack an enemy who have a hill incorporated into their formation
7.22) Following a feigned retreat can be disastrous and you should never attack an enemy’s crack troops
7.23) If you capture an enemy’s food supply, it should be tested in case it is poisoned
7.24) If you surround an enemy, give him a way out as he will try to escape and therefore become easier to defeat
7.25) Keep your distance from a desperate foe as he can still be dangerous
7.26) By following theses rules your military operation will succeed

6.1) Those who hold the battlefield are at an advantage, for any opposition are under pressure to drive them from it
6.2) Skilful warriors bring the opposition to them and do not go in search of them
6.3) Lure an opponent to you with the prospect of gain. Make them flee with the prospect of harm
6.4) If your opponent feels he is insecure, he may become complacent
6.5) Attack your opponent where they least expect it or where they are weakly defended
6.6) If you attack at the right point, you cannot fail to win. If you defend at the right point, you cannot lose
6.7) If you are skilled in attack, your opponent will not know where to defend and if you are skilled in defence your opponent will not know where to attack
6.8) If you can make your moves with enough subtlety, you will win any tactical exchange
6.9) Attacking gaps in an enemy formation in force will make you irresistible. A good retreat is when you out-manoeuvre and out-run your foe
6.10) If you attack an area valuable to your opponent , he will leave even the most defensive position to come to the rescue
6.11) If you are not prepared to fight, leading your opponent down the wrong path is more valuable than a retreat
6.12) While your opponent deploys for a battle, his concentration is divided
6.13) Attacking an opponent who is distracted gives you a huge advantage
6.14) If you can isolate small enemy units and bring large numbers to bear on them, then you lower the number you must do battle against
6.15) If the enemy sends out guard posts, these can be overwhelmed with great force and again lowers the number of enemy forces you must do battle against
6.16) If you over-prepare at the front, the rear is vulnerable and vice versa. If you over-prepare on the right, the left is vulnerable and vice versa. If you over-prepare everywhere, everywhere is vulnerable
6.17) You can force your enemy to not only fight against you but also against his own circumstances
6.18) Information on the enemy is priceless as you safeguard your army from surprise attacks but if you know nothing, nowhere is safe
6.19) Outnumbering your opponent is never enough to ensure victory
6.20) Preparation and information can procure victory
6.21) Even a numerically superior foe can be induced to retreat if out-manoeuvred and taken by surprise
6.22) Assess your enemy to decipher their plans. Incite them into action to discover their strategies and tactics
6.23) If you can force the opponent to attack a certain way, a way you are prepared for, the battle is yours to win
6.24) By testing them, you can find out where they are strong and where they are weak
6.25) If your army can appear formless, there is nothing for enemy intelligence to report
6.26) Victory in war is known to all, but the science of ensuring that victory before battle takes place remains a secret
6.27) Your tactics and strategies must constantly evolve and adapt or else your enemies will learn how to defeat you
6.28) A great military leader does not dictate strategy, he acquires it from watching his opponent
6.29) The ability to gain victory by changing and adapting according to the opponent is called genius

5.1) The best way to govern large numbers is to divide them into small units and when battling large numbers you need good formations and signals.
5.2) To make your armies difficult to beat requires a mix of orthodox and unorthodox tactics
5.3) If you attack any enemy’s weak point with force, your victory will be complete
5.4) If it is a battle of attrition you want, attack head on. If it is a victory you seek, use surprise
5.5) Those skilled in surprise will be extremely difficult to beat
5.6) Combining conventional and surprise attacks will make an unbeatable force
5.7) A skilful warrior uses a force swiftly and precisely
5.8) If you presume an order, you encourage chaos; if you presume on courage you will get cowardice and if you presume on strength you will find weakness
5.9) Organisation brings order, morale brings courage and formation brings strength
5.10) If your army is well trained, you can deploy a formation that will fool the enemy into believing you are retreating so you can lure them into an ambush
5.11) Good warriors are at their most effective in battle when momentum and morale is on their side
5.12) Warriors who are skilfully led into battle have the courage to win every time. The momentum of a united force is irresistible