The Art Of War Essay

The Art of War by Sun Tzu Essay
"The art of war is of vital importance to the State. It is a matter of life and death, a road either to
safety or ruin." –Sun Tzu The modern world accepts laziness, disrespect, rebelliousness, and
mediocrity. The days of hard work and discipline are long gone; replaced by decaying morals and
nonexistent parenting. If this nationwide contagion continues to develop, the result will be a
country unable to sustain, govern, or defend itself. The solution is evident: military service.
Mandatory military service in the United States for individuals 18 years of age for a period of two
years would have numerous benefits, as well as alleviate many problems facing America.
Compulsory military service gives a second chance to high school...show more content...
Sadly, the Boomers grandchildren did not adopt the ideals and skills of their grandparents.
Generation–Y, for the most part, lacks discipline, respect, a good work ethic, and a strive to succeed.
The depressing fact is that Generation–Y's total mentality will be passed down to their children, and
their children, and so on. This cycle would ultimately result in the downfall of America ("The 20
Differences" 1). Morals are not the only thing passed from parent to offspring. Lifestyles and
genetics are also passed down; and right now, American's are fat. Currently 34.9% of American
adults are obese. The CDC defines "obese" as a Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than or equal to
30 ("Adult Obesity Facts" 1). For comparison, a 5"10" male who weighs 150 pounds would have a
BMI of 21.5. That same male would have to weigh 210 pounds in order to be considered obese.
Obesity causes numerous health problems. In a study on obesity in America, National Geographic
stated, "Being overweight is associated with 400,000 deaths a year and an increased risk of heart
disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon, breast, and endometrial cancers. Most poignant is the
psychological pain of those stigmatized by obesity. In one study at Michigan State University,
undergraduates said they would be more inclined to marry an embezzler or cocaine user than an
obese person." ("Obesity Article" 1) Obesity is also incredibly expensive. In 2008 alone the U.S.
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How Did Sun Tzu Divided The Concubines?
The earliest known writings on war did not take the form of treatises but narratives. Poems, such as
those by Homer and the Epic of Gilgamesh glorified heroes while prose accounts carved into
Egyptian, Assyrian, and Babylonian monuments described individual campaigns and battles.
However, these tales with their gods and godlike heroes may or may not have contained any
historical truths. In China a third type of military writing emerged. After the fall of the Chou (c. 400
BC) China divided into principalities that continuously fought each other and developed professional
standing armies which produced expert generals. Between 400 and 200 BC many generals began
writing down their methods or had other authors write the methods for them. The...show more
content...
Sun Tzu divided the concubines into two companies and appointed the two most favored as the
company commanders. Sun Tzu ordered them to face right, to which they did nothing but giggle.
According to Sun Tzu the failure to follow the order was his fault as the general because he was
responsible for ensuring that the "soldiers" understood his command. When the women fell into
giggles the second time his command was given, he ordered the "commanders" executed, much to
the king's displeasure, stating that if the soldiers understood the command and did not obey, the fault
fell to the officers. Sun Tzu appointed two new concubines to commanders and both companies
performed their maneuvers without mistake. The Shiji reports that Sun Tzu applied his methods and
tactics in battle and proved that they were effective. Based on these incidents of success, Sun Tzu
achieved a triumphant military career and composed The Art ofWar.
The book contains only thirteen chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of military strategy:
Laying Plans, Waging War, Attack by Stratagem, Tactical Dispositions, Energy, Weak Points and
Strong, Maneuvering, Variation in Tactics, The Army on the March, Terrain, The Nine Situations,
Attack by Fire, The Use of Spies. While emphasizing the importance of the positioning of the army,
based on objective and environment, Sun Tzu states

Which Army Leader Win A Better Battle Plan Essay
Throughout the ages of history, there were many wars that were fought. For every victory and
defeat, what was it that really determined the outcome of the war? Which army leader had the
better or worse battle plan? With the plan they had, did it increase their chances of victory? Were
there key factors in an army leader's plan that lead to their defeat? Or, was the best decision made to
completely avoid war? For a lot of the wars that took place and the ones that were avoided many
years ago, the mystery still remains unsolved on how and why certain army leaders were victorious
or gained a certain advantage because of the choices they made. On the other hand, it is also
unknown on how or why an army leader failed to a certain extent...show more content...
This was a tactic in attempts to keep the enemy guessing and to cause the enemy to feel threatened
and unsafe. It was a good strategy to trick the enemy into always thinking and feeling that an attack
would happen at any given moment, something that would cause the enemy to develop stress or
become restless with less chances of obtaining a sense of peace or assuming that an attack was not
going to happen. If one was able to master the technique of deception, then it was likely that one will
increase the chances of victory. In addition, it was crucial to become aware and analyze the enemy in
order to determine if a planned and deceptive attack would work. Or, it was better to avoid
confrontation if it was determined that the enemy would be stronger. Sun Tzu took into
consideration that pacifism was also an important option which would benefit future and better
planned attacks. He also made it clear from the beginning of his documentation that he took
analytical measurements into account and the one that made more precise calculations than the
enemy, one will win the war. Another significant lesson on warfare and leadership put forth by Sun
Tzu was having the ability to conquer areas with no fighting at all. This lesson also involved the
ability to absorb and expand within an area instead of total domination and annihilation. Sun Tzu
mentioned, "In the practical art of

The Art of War
More than two thousand years ago, a Chinese strategist known as Sun Tzu wrote one of the
enduring classics of military theory. Most likely written during a period of Chinese history referred
to as the 'Warring States' period, Sun Tzu's The Art of War has continued to be studied by military
strategists for millennia. Even today, The Art of War is required reading for Naval Officer
Candidates. At nearly the same time in the fourth century B.C., the Greek city–states were facing
invasion from the mighty Persian army. Vastly outnumbered, the Greeks eventually triumphed by
defeating their enemies at Plataea, but not before fighting one of history's greatest military stands at
Thermopylae. By using Sun Tzu's classic text to analyze the...show more content...
The narrow pass of Thermopylae contained a chokepoint that was a mere fifty feet wide, giving
the vastly outnumbered Spartan force some bare hope of holding the line against the Persians.
For three days Leonidas and his allied force held the pass against the Persians. They faced down
Xerxes' massive army and prevented the Persian force from advancing. Even Xerxes' elite troops,
the Immortals, could not dislodge the Spartans and their allies. On the third day, however, a
secret path was betrayed to the Persians which allowed them to outflank the Greek defenders.
Knowing the pass to be lost, Leonidas sent away his Greek allies, keeping back only his 300
Spartans and leading them out to face the Persians at the widest expanse of the pass. According to
Greek tradition, the Persian forces were terrified by this act of Greek courage and had to be
driven to battle by the whips of their leaders. The Spartans fought until their spears were shattered
and their swords broken, refusing to give ground. When King Leonidas fell, the Greeks rallied and
drove the Persians away from his body four times. In the end, however, not even the reckless
courage and martial skill of the Spartan hoplites could suffice against the overwhelming numbers of
the Persians and they were slain to the last man. "Invincibility lies in the defence; the possibility of
victory in the attack." According to this quote from Sun Tzu, it seems

The Art of War in the 17th and 18th Centuries
The Art of War in the 17th and 18th Centuries is a history course book whose author's are United
States Military Academy history instructors Lieutenant Colonel Dave Richard Palmer and Major
Albert Sidney Britt III. The textbook gives an insight into the military tactics and the political
reasons when they were brought about in the 17th and 18th centuries. The text was published in
West Point, New York in 1969. The book contains 9 chapters and 185 pages. There is no additional
information on the authors. The book starts with the tactics and life of the young Swedish King
Gustavus Adolphus, who began his military career at the age of 16 on the battlefields of the Danish
War of 1612,...show more content...
Upon landing on the German shore of Peenemunde, I wonder if Adolphus realized that one day his
ingenious and revolutionary theories would some three centuries later influence the German
scientists developing the modern day rocket at Peenemunde. After Gustavus Adolphus' death,
warfare settled down to a slower pace and a more stable mold. Warfare experienced the growth of
professional armies loyal to the king. But the great cost of building and maintaining such armies led
to a concern for their safety, a hesitation to risk them in bloody encounters, and a preoccupation with
defense and fortifications. Strategy during this period was essentially of limited aim and was greatly
concerned with the art of siege craft, for which elaborate rules were prescribed. With the growth of
professional armies loyal to their kings, came Louis XIV, King of France. Unlike Gustavus, who
wrung victories from tactical innovations, Louis sought military efficiency through extreme
centralization. This approach, brought forth great results at first, but would eventually become a
self–defeating theory. It is roughly accurate to say that every aspect of "the Sun King's" army was
centralized in the war ministry, which was headed by a civilian loyal to, and working directly for,
the King.

The Art of War Analysis
The Art of War Analysis The Art of War was one of our world's first written documents that dealt
with militaristic strategies and advancements. The book was written by a Chinese military leader
named Sun Tzu, who commanded and analyzed his military over the Warring States Period of China.
Sun Tzu produced this text in an attempt to provide future military advantages for the Chinese, but
The Art of War's ideas eventually spread to neighboring civilizations and empires. The ideas and
facts expressed in Sun Tzu's writings proved effective as military groups became more powerful
through the writings. Throughout The Art of War, Sun Tzu expressed his views and tactics
primarily in moral ethics, intelligence, environmental tactics, and...show more content...
Fighting in one's "homeland" will lead to better conditions for the army that originated in that
area because they know of the environment and what it takes to survive there. Sun Tzu explains
his opinions of military tactics on six types of terrain and all of them easily gave the best
advantages to the military that used them. The last topic that Sun Tzu took great pride in was
military leadership. Since Sun Tzu was a general, he knew how to run an army to its best
conditions with a minimal amount of casualties. During the text, Sun Tzu states, "Now the
general is the pillar of the state; if the pillar has mastered all points of war, the state will be strong;
if the pillar is defective, the state will be week." (p. #1) Tzu is using the general's leadership as a
supporting structure to the whole empire or civilization. If the military leader is dysfunctional,
then the whole state or empire will be dysfunctional as well. The Art of War also states, "The
masterful leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to proper methods and discipline;
thus it is his power to control success." (p. #1) The leader must also have great morals in order to
run a great military and these morals by which the leader lives by will serve as models for the
civilization. A great military starts with a great leader, and

The Art of War
The Art of War– a brief analysis
The Art of War is one of the oldest and most successful books on military strategy. It composed of
13 chapters, each of which is based on philosophy, used the idea of philosophy to observe the war,
discussed and find out the general rule of war. Though it is very short, it devoted to one aspect of
warfare.
The Art of Warhas a perfect logic system. These 13 chapters, no matter more or less will influence
the main idea. Just like the first chapter is Laying Plans, it explores the five fundamental factors and
seven elements that define a successful outcome. The second chapter is WagingWar, this part is not
like the warfare that we think like today, it explains how to understand the economy of war and how
...show more content...
To a commander or a leader, sincerely is first of condition to maintain the cohesion. Every
organization or group, if there is no sincerely between each of stuff, the organization would not
existent.
Benevolence is special emphasizing in Chinese military affairs, which also means keep a golden
mean, this idea is influenced by Confucianism. To explain benevolence, it is over–solicitude for his
men, requiring the commander looks their soldiers like own brother or son and daughter. It will be
harmonious in one organization.
About courage, it is the spirit of brave, this spirit is the necessary diathesis to a leader. Veracious
to say it is one of ability to make decision. For example, one of the Japanese entrepreneurs who
named Sun Zhangyi said "if you do the business when you have 90% confidence, you will be
defeated by people who only have 70% confidence on it." and this decision–making is not a
adventure, you must build this on rational courage.
Last point is strictness, it is complementary with sincerely. So the strictness is a outside behavior,
In one word, wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness, these five stands are
interrelated and interaction, only to put these five stands together, it will enhance the leader.
Actually, it is not meaning that we need
all–powerful leader, what we want to say is basing on the five principle, keeping studying and
improving, this will be a excellent leader.
Compared five dangerous

It can be said that the period of time between 1400 and 1600 was one of transformation. The
Renaissance revolutionized art and reintroduced Greek and Roman works to Europe. Increased
technologies and a hunger for products from the Indies led to Columbus's discovery of the Americas
in 1492 which revolutionized commerce and international trade. In 1517 a German monk named
Martin Luther listed a series of complaints against the Roman church leading to a reformation that
transformed the western church. At the same time a more obscure, though equally important
revolution was taking place, one whose effects were no less significant. The invasion of Italy by
Charles the VII of France in 1494 is considered the beginning of the age of gunpowder...show more
content...
The first area of significant area of change during the fifteenth century was that of field combat. The
armies of the medieval era were built around heavy armored cavalry, especially the knight. During
this time the development of infantry was largely ignored in favor of the more heavily armored
cavalry, and as a result foot soldiers were generally ineffective in combat. Infantry in this period
generally consisted of poorly trained and equipped peasants. Though reasonably effective the
reliance on cavalry had several drawbacks, most notably the cost. In order for a knight to be
effective he required the latest armor and a horse capable of supporting both the armored knight and
carrying its own armor while still being mobile enough to function in battle. Knights also required
training which took both time and money. Because the cavalry consisted mostly of knights who
were part of the nobility, they were often reluctant to fight, creating difficulties in raising armies of
sufficient size when the need arose. Another noteworthy problem with the knights was that their
primary tactic of charging the enemy lines often made it easy to led them into traps. At the battle of
El Mansura during the Seventh Crusade, retreating Muslim forces lured a group of overly eager
French

Art of War Summary
Art of War is a famous Chinese military strategy book written by Sun Tzu, an ancient Chinese
military general. He was famous during his time and for his work entitled Art of War, which made
him known even up to our century. According to Wallace (2010), Sun Tzu is the author of one of the
most prominent pieces of literature during the era of the Warring States in whichChina entered
around the first millennium B.C.E. In this work of art Sun Tzu takes a rational approach to the
problem of conflict and dissects every aspect of it. Sun Tzu is undeniably an historical figure. The
book is all about how to win a war by employing strategies and tactics given the information and
ideas that every general must know from laying plans, handling his...show more content...
Sun Tzu said that the art of war recognizes "Nine situations" and these are elaborated in the eleventh
chapter. These are: dispersive ground; facile ground; contentious ground; open ground; ground of
intersecting highways; serious ground; difficult ground; hemmed–in ground; desperate ground.
Translators say that these nine situations can be generally grouped into early, middle, and late–stage
conditions, and they range from scattering to deadly. In each of these situations, there is one and
only one appropriate response. As the title says, "Attacking by fire" this chapter is basically lays
down the five different ways to attack the enemy using fire. First, burn the soldiers in their camp.
Second, burn their stores. Third, burn their equipment. Fourth, burn their weapons. Lastly, burn
their supplies. The ways mentioned have been widely used by many battles. The last chapter
focuses on the importance of gathering information from reliable sources and managing them. It
specifically discusses the value and methods of developing good information sources. It describes
five kinds of spies: local spies, inside spies, reverse spies, dead spies, and living spies. Reliable
information can help mold your own strategy and gain competitive

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