Who does not know the evils of war cannot appreciate its benefits.
Sun TzuRead
The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy. Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The essence of espionage is to gain knowledge about your adversary, primarily through informants who have switched allegiance.
In this quote, Sun Tzu emphasizes the critical role of information in warfare and strategy. He asserts that the primary goal of spying is to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the enemy, and that the most reliable source of this knowledge is often a defector or converted spy. Treating these informants well ensures that they provide valuable insights, highlighting a strategic approach to intelligence gathering that prioritizes understanding over mere tactics.
Themes
SpyingKnowledgeEnemyIntelligenceStrategy
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a military strategy meeting to emphasize the importance of intelligence.
More from Sun Tzu
All quotes →Great results, can be achieved with small forces.
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To capture an enemies army is better than to destroy it.
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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.
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You can ensure the success of your attacks if you only attack places that are undefended. You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. Therefore, that general is skillful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend; and he is skillful in defense whose opponent does not know what to attack.
Sun TzuRead
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result 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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