Quotes on War Strategy

When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.

Thus we may know that there are five essentials for victory: He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight. He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks. He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared. He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Hence the saying: The enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead; the good general cultivates his resources.

Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are.

Secret operations are essential in war; upon them the army relies to make its every move.

Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.

The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.

All men can see these tactics whereby I conquer, but what none can see is the strategy out of which victory is evolved.

If our soldiers are not overburdened with money, it is not because they have a distaste for riches; if their lives are not unduly long, it is not because they are disinclined to longevity.

Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.