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Sun Tzu Quotes

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Famous Sun Tzu Quotes

“The art of using troops is this: ......When ten to the enemy's one, surround him; ......When five times his strength, attack him; ......If double his strength, divide him; ......If equally matched you may engage him; ......If weaker numerically, be capable of withdrawing; ......And if in all respects unequal, be capable of eluding him, ..........for a small force is but booty for one more powerful.”

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Author:Sun Tzu
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“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.”

IfsKnowsNeedsWarInspirationSufferingResultsEnemyMilitaryVictoryBattleDrugHundredStrategyDefeatWarriorKnow YourselfArt Of WarStrategicGreat WarStrategistWar StrategyStratagemFighting BattlesGreatest VictoryWar VictoryGreatest MilitaryGreat BattleWill To FightMilitary StrategyWars And BattlesDefeating The EnemyWar With Yourself
Book:The Art of War
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“No ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen; no general should fight a battle simply out of pique. If it is to your advantage, make a forward move; if not, stay where you are. Anger may in time change to gladness; vexation may be succeeded by content. But a kingdom that has once been destroyed can never come again into being; nor can the dead ever be brought back to life.”

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Book:The Art of War
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“The general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.”

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Book:Sun Tzu's Art of War - Illustrated & Translated for Modern Readers
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“The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy. To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself. Thus the good fighter is able to secure himself against defeat, but cannot make certain of defeating the enemy.”

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Book:The Illustrated Art of War
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“Military tactics are like unto water; for water in its natural course runs away from high places and hastens downwards... Water shapes its course according to the nature of the ground over which it flows; the soldier works out his victory in relation to the foe whom he is facing. Therefore, just as water retains no constant shape, so in warfare there are no constant conditions. He who can modify his tactics in relation to his opponent and thereby succeed in winning, may be called a heaven-born captain.”

MayArtWarRunningCoursesWinningHeavenWaterBornNaturalConditionsMilitaryVictoryShapesSucceedFlowRelationConstantSoldierWork OutOpponentsRunning AwayWarfareCaptainsFoeTacticsArt Of WarStrategistHigh Places
Book:El Arte de la Guerra – The Art of War (Sun Tzu)
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“If we know that our own men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the enemy is not open to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, but are unaware that our own men are not in a condition to attack, we have gone only halfway towards victory. If we know that the enemy is open to attack, and also know that our men are in a condition to attack, but are unaware that the nature of the ground makes fighting impracticable, we have still gone only halfway towards victory.”

IfsKnowsMenArtStillsWarFightingEnemyGoneConditionsMilitaryVictoryArt Of WarHalfwayStrategist
Book:Sun-Tzu on the Art of War: The Oldest Military Treatise in the World (Sunzi for Language Learners, Volume 1)
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“On dispersive ground, therefore, fight not. On facile ground, halt not. On contentious ground, attack not. On open ground, do not try to block the enemy's way. On the ground of intersecting highways, join hands with your allies. On serious ground, gather in plunder. In difficult ground, keep steadily on the march. On hemmed-in ground, resort to stratagem. On desperate ground, fight.”

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Book:The Art of War (The Classic Lionel Giles Translation)
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“If asked how to cope with a great host of the enemy in orderly array and on the point of marching to the attack, I should say: "Begin by seizing something which your opponent holds dear; then he will be amenable to your will." Rapidity is the essence of war: take advantage of the enemy's unreadiness, make your way by unexpected routes, and attack unguarded spots.”

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Book:The Seven Military Classics of Ancient China
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“Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity; They cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness; Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports; Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of warfare; If a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe, he must be put to death together with the man to whom the secret was told.”

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Author:Sun Tzu
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