Sun Tzu War Quotes & Sayings

Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical. — Sun Tzu

The clever combatant looks to the effect of combined energy, and does not require too much from individuals. Hence his ability to pick out the right men and utilize combined energy — Sun Tzu

First make yourself unbeatable, then go to war." -Sun Tzu — Phil Pierce

Be the first to seize intersecting ground, that is ground which lies the intersections of borders or intersections of main thoroughfares of commerce and travel. Your occupation of it gives you access to all who border it and all who would covet it. On intersecting ground, if you establish alliances you are safe, if you lose alliances you are in peril. — Sun Tzu

When the outlook is bright, bring it before their eyes; but tell them nothing when the situation is gloomy. — Sun Tzu

Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain. — Sun Tzu

Never venture, never win! — Sun Tzu

All wars are won or lost before they are ever fought. — Sun Tzu

The military has no constant form, just as water has no constant shape - adapt as you face the enemy, without letting them know beforehand what you are going to do. — Sun Tzu

Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy ... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength. — Sun Tzu

He who knows things, and in fighting puts his knowledge into practice, will win his battles. He who knows them not, nor practices them, will surely be defeated. — Sun Tzu

All warfare is based on deception. There is no place where espionage is not used. Offer the enemy bait to lure him. — Sun Tzu

Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will. — Sun Tzu

All war is based on deception. — Sun Tzu

It is a doctrine of war not to assume the enemy will not come, but rather to rely on one's readiness to meet him; not to presume that he will not attack, but rather to make one's self invincible. — Sun Tzu

Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley. — Sun Tzu

The spot where we intend to fight must not be made known; for then the enemy will have to prepare against a possible attack at several different points; — Sun Tzu

There are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune on his army: By commanding the army to advance or to retreat, being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey. This is called hobbling the army. By attempting to govern an army in the same way as he administers a kingdom, being ignorant of the conditions which obtain in an army. This causes restlessness in the soldier's minds. By employing the officers of his army without discrimination, through ignorance of the military principle of adaptation to circumstances. This shakes the confidence of the soldiers. — Sun Tzu

Rouse him, and learn the principle of his activity or inactivity. Force him to reveal himself, so as to find out his vulnerable spots. — Sun Tzu

Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization. — Sun Tzu

The supreme excellence is not to win a hundred victories in a hundred battles. The supreme excellence is to subdue the armies of your enemies without having to fight them. — Sun Tzu

A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective. — Sun Tzu

Those who would wage war, should first eliminate all domestic enemies before proceeding to attack the external foe. — Sun Tzu

Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt. — Sun Tzu

The consummate leader cultivates the moral law, and strictly adheres to method and discipline; thus it is in his power to control success. — Sun Tzu

A government should not mobilize an army out of anger, military leaders should not provoke war out of wrath. Act when it is beneficial to do so, desist if not. Anger can revert to joy, wrath can revert to delight, but a nation destroyed cannot be restored to existence, and the dead cannot be restored to life. — Sun Tzu

You can ensure the safety of your defense if you only hold positions that cannot be attacked. — Sun Tzu

Swift as the wind. Quiet as the forest. Conquer like the fire. Steady as the mountain — Sun Tzu

Ground which can be freely traversed by both sides is called accessible. — Sun Tzu

With regard to precipitous heights, if you are beforehand with your adversary, you should occupy the raised and sunny spots, and there wait for him to come up. — Sun Tzu

When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteoousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders'. — Sun Tzu

This does not mean that the enemy is to be allowed to escape. The object is to make him believe that there is a road to safety, and thus prevent his fighting with the courage of despair. After that, you may crush him. — Sun Tzu

Do not press an enemy at bay. — Sun Tzu

Supreme importance in war is to attack the enemy's strategy. — Sun Tzu

Therefore victory in war is not repetitious, but adapts its form endlessly. — Sun Tzu

In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them. — Sun Tzu

Standing on the defensive indicates insufficient strength; attacking, a superabundance of strength. — Sun Tzu

If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected . — Sun Tzu

The whole secret lies in confusing the enemy, so that he cannot fathom our real intent. — Sun Tzu

When he utilizes combined energy, his fighting men become as it were like unto rolling logs or stones. For it is the nature of a log or stone to remain motionless on level ground, and to move when on a slope; if four-cornered, to come to a standstill, but if round-shaped to go rolling down. — Sun Tzu

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 to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. — Sun Tzu

To conquer the enemy without resorting to war is the most desirable. The highest form of generalship is to conquer the enemy by strategy. — Sun Tzu

So long as victory can be attained, stupid haste is preferable to clever dilatoriness. — Sun Tzu

One defends when his strength is inadequate, he attacks when it is abundant. — Sun Tzu

When the position is such that neither side will gain by making the first move, it is called temporising ground. — Sun Tzu

The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands — Sun Tzu

A clever general, therefore, avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. — Sun Tzu

When campaigning, be swift as the wind; in leisurely march, majestic as the forest; in raiding and plundering, like fire; in standing, firm as the mountains. As unfathomable as the clouds, move like a thunderbolt. — Sun Tzu

A clever general ... avoids an army when its spirit is keen, but attacks it when it is sluggish and inclined to return. This is the art of studying moods. Disciplined and calm, he awaits the appearance of disorder and hubbub among the enemy. This is the art of retaining self-possession. — Sun Tzu

With regard to narrow passes, if you can occupy them first, let them be strongly garrisoned and await the advent of the enemy. — Sun Tzu

One mark of a great soldier is that he fight on his own terms or fights not at all. — Sun Tzu

All war is based in deception (cfr. Sun Tzu, "The Art of War").
Definition of deception: "The practice of deliberately making somebody believe things that are not true. An act, a trick or device entended to deceive somebody".
Thus, all war is based in metaphor.
All war necessarily perfects itself in poetry.
Poetry (since indefinable) is the sense of seduction.
Therefore, all war is the storytelling of seduction, and seduction is the nature of war. — Pola Oloixarac

Rapidity is the essence of war. — Sun Tzu

15. Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy. One cartload of the enemy's provisions is equivalent to twenty of one's own, and likewise a single picul of his provender is equivalent to twenty from one's own store. — Sun Tzu

From a position of this sort, if the enemy is unprepared, you may sally forth and defeat him. But if the enemy is prepared for your coming, and you fail to defeat him, then, return being impossible, disaster will ensue. — Sun Tzu

When Lionel Giles began his translation of Sun Tzu's ART OF WAR, the work was virtually unknown in Europe. Its introduction to Europe began in 1782 when a French Jesuit Father living in China, Joseph Amiot, acquired a copy of it, and translated — Sun Tzu

If I wish to engage, then the enemy, for all his high ramparts and deep moat, cannot avoid engagement; I attack that which he is obliged to rescue. — Sun Tzu

When two sides who consider each other enemies converge in armed struggle, for the moment they are no longer enemies. They are fellow human beings who face the same two choices that their ancestors did for centuries before them: to destroy each other or to prosper together. — Thomas Huynh

Victory in war is apparent to all, but the science of ensuring victory is a mysterious secret, generally unknown. — Sun Tzu

When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears, they are faint from want of food. — Sun Tzu

Be where your enemy is not. — Sun Tzu

Don't flail against the world, use it. Flexibility is the operative principle in the art of war. — Sun Tzu

The good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy. — Sun Tzu

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

Sun Tzu said: The art of war recognises nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) facile ground; (3) contentious ground; (4) open ground; (5) ground of intersecting highways; (6) serious ground; (7) difficult ground; (8) hemmed-in ground; (9) desperate ground. — Sun Tzu

First lay plans which will ensure victory, and then lead your army to battle; if you will not begin with stratagem but rely on brute strength alone, victory will no longer be assured — Sun Tzu

In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory. — Sun Tzu

The skillful leader subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting. — Sun Tzu

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

The Chinese general Sun Tzu said that all war was based on deception. Oscar Wilde said the same thing of romance. — Marco Tempest

At first, then, exhibit the coyness of a maiden, until the enemy gives you an opening; afterwards emulate the rapidity of a running hare, and it will be too late for the enemy to oppose you. — Sun Tzu

Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day. — Sun Tzu

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

Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust. — Sun Tzu

When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward. — Sun Tzu

To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill — Sun Tzu

It is the business of a general to be serene and inscrutable, impartial and self-controlled. — Sun Tzu

And therefore those skilled in war bring the enemy to the field of battle and are not brought there by him. — Sun Tzu

To capture the enemy's entire army is better than to destroy it; to take intact a regiment, a company, or a squad is better than to destroy them. For to win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the supreme of excellence. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the supreme excellence. — Sun Tzu

Carefully compare the opposing army with your own, so that you may know where strength is superabundant and where it is deficient. — Sun Tzu

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

There has never been a protracted war from which a country has benefited. — Sun Tzu

Whether in an advantageous position or a disadvantageous one, the opposite state should be always present to your mind. — Sun Tzu

When your weapons are dulled and ardour damped, your strength exhausted and treasure spent, neighboring rulers will take advantage of your distress to act. And even though you have wise counsellors, none will be able to lay good plans for the future. Thus, while we have heard of blundering swiftness in war, we have not yet seen a clever operation that was prolonged. — Sun Tzu

Bravery without forethought, causes a man to fight blindly and desperately like a mad bull. Such an opponent, must not be encountered with brute force, but may be lured into an ambush and slain. — Sun Tzu

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousand battles, a thousand victories. — Sun Tzu

Wheels of justice grind slow but grind fine — Sun Tzu

Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision. — Sun Tzu

Thus those skilled in war subdue the enemy's army without battle ... They conquer by strategy. — Sun Tzu

If you fight with all your might, there is a chance of life; where as death is certain if you cling to your corner — Sun Tzu

Other conditions being equal, if one force is hurled against another ten times its size, the result will be the flight of the former. — Sun Tzu

There are not more than five primary colors (blue, yellow, red, white, and black), yet in combination they produce more hues than can ever been seen. — Sun Tzu

If we wish to wrest an advantage from the enemy, we must not fix our minds on that alone, but allow for the possibility of the enemy also doing some harm to us, and let this enter as a factor into our calculations. — Sun Tzu

In war, then, let your great object be victory, not lengthy campaigns. — Sun Tzu

All war is deception. — Sun Tzu

The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become double agents and available for our service. It is through the information brought by the double agent that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy. — Sun Tzu

The Sun Tzu School Ping-fa Directive.
Be strong and continually aware. Manage your strength and that of others. When essential, engage on your terms. Be observant, adaptive, and subtle. Do not lose control. Act decisively. Conclude quickly. Don't Fight! — David G. Jones

An army may be likened to water, for just as flowing water avoids the heights and hastens to the lowlands, so an army avoids strength and strikes weakness. — Sun Tzu

One who sets the entire army in motion to chase an advantage will not attain it. — Sun Tzu

The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy's not coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable. — Sun Tzu