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Art of War – Chapter 4.1
Skilled warriors first secure their own invincibility and wait for enemies’ weaknesses. Being unbeatable depends on oneself, while defeating foes relies on their flaws. Victory can be predicted, yet it cannot be forced to happen.
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Art of War – Chapter 3.6
This part presents Sun Tzu’s famous maxim. Knowing both the enemy and yourself guarantees safety in all battles. Knowing only yourself leads to mixed results, while ignorance of both sides will bring certain defeat in every fight.
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Art of War – Chapter 3.5
Sun Tzu puts forward five rules to predict victory: judging battle timing, deploying troops properly, uniting all ranks, staying fully prepared and letting capable generals command freely without royal interference.
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Art of War – Chapter 3.4
Generals are vital to a state. Rulers may ruin the army by wrongly ordering advances or retreats, interfering in military affairs and commands. Confused troops will invite enemy attacks and lead to defeat.
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Art of War – Chapter 3.3
Skilled warriors win full victories with minimal losses via strategies instead of direct fights. Sun Tzu also offers clear tactics: surround, assault, divide, fight, defend or flee based on troop strength, warning weak forces against stubborn resistance.
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Art of War – Chapter 3.2
Sun Tzu ranks warfare tactics: defeating enemies’ strategies tops the list, followed by breaking alliances and field battles. Sieging cities is the worst choice, for it costs massive time, manpower and causes heavy troop losses.