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The Art of War
by Sun Tzu

Publication date 2006-11-02
Usage Public DomainCreative Commons Licensepublicdomain
Topics librivox, audiobook, literature, war, Sun Tzu, Sunzi, Lionel Giles
Librivox recording of The Art of War by Sun Tzu, translated by Lionel Giles.
Read by Moira Fogarty.

"The Art of War is a Chinese military treatise written during the 6th century BC by Sun Tzu. Composed of 13 chapters, each of which is devoted to one aspect of warfare, it has long been praised as the definitive work on military strategies and tactics of its time. The Art of War is one of the oldest and most famous studies of strategy and has had a huge influence on both military planning and beyond. The Art of War has also been applied, with much success, to business and managerial strategies."
(summary from Wikipedia)

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this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by moira fogarty the art of war by sun tzu translated by lionel giles part three attack by stratagem sun tzu said 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 hence to fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting thus the highest form of generalship is to bulk the enemy's plans the next best is to prevent the junction of the enemy's forces the next in order is to attack the enemy's army in the field and the worst policy of all is to besiege wild cities the rule is not to besiege walled cities if it can possibly be avoided the preparation of mantlets movable shelters and various implements of war will take up three whole months and the piling up of mounds against the walls will take three months more the general unable to control his irritation will launch his men to the assault like swarming ants with the result that one third of his men are slain while the town still remains untaken such are the disastrous effects of a siege therefore the skillful leaders subdues the enemy's troops without any fighting he captures their cities without laying siege to them he overthrows their kingdom without lengthy operations in the field with his forces intact he will dispute the mastery of the empire and thus without losing a man his triumph will be complete this is the method of attacking by stratagem it is the rule in war if our forces are ten to the enemies one to surround him if five to one to attack him if twice is numerous to divide our army into two if equally matched we can offer battle if slightly inferior in numbers we can avoid the enemy if quite unequal in every way we can flee from him hence though an obstinate fight may be made by a small force in the end it must be captured by the larger force now the general is the bulwark of the state if the bulwark is complete at all points the state will be strong if the bulwark is defective the state will be weak there are three ways in which a ruler can bring misfortune upon his army one by commanding the army to advance or to retreat being ignorant of the fact that it cannot obey this is called hobbling the army two 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 soldiers minds three 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 but when the army is restless and...

audiobook
The Art of War
by Sun Tzu
this is a librivox recording all librivox recordings are in the public domain for more information and to find out how you can volunteer please visit librivox.org recording by moira fogarty the art of war by tsun tzu translated by lionel giles part 1 laying plans sun tzu said 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 the art of war then is governed by five constant factors to be taken into account in one's deliberations when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field these are one the moral law two heaven three earth four the commander five method and discipline the moral law causes the people to be in complete accord with their ruler so that they will follow him regardless of their lives undismayed by any danger heaven signifies night and day cold and heat times and seasons earth comprises distances great and small danger and security open ground and narrow passes the chances of life and death the commander stands for the virtues of wisdom sincerity benevolence courage and strictness my method and discipline are to be understood the marshaling of the army in its proper subdivisions the graduations of rank among the officers the maintenance of roads by which supplies may reach the army and the control of military expenditure these five heads should be familiar to every general he who knows them will be victorious he who knows them not will fail therefore in your deliberations when seeking to determine the military conditions let them be made the basis of a comparison in this wise one which of the two sovereigns is imbued with the moral law two which of the two generals has most ability three with whom lie the advantages derived from heaven and earth four on which side is disciplined most rigorously enforced five which army is stronger six on which side are officers and men more highly trained seven in which army is there the greater constancy both in reward and punishment by means of these seven considerations i can forecast victory or defeat the general that hearkens to my council and acts upon it will conquer let such a one be retained in command the general that hearkens not to my council nor acts upon it will suffer defeat let such a one be dismissed while heeding the prophet of my counsel avail yourself also of any helpful circumstances over and beyond the ordinary rules according as circumstances are favorable one should modify one's plans all warfare is based on deception hence when able to attack we must seem unable when using our forces we must seem inactive when we are near we must make the enemy believe we are far away when far away we must make him believe we are near hold out baits to entice the enemy feign disorder and crush him if he is secure at all points be prepared for him if he is in superior strength evade him if your opponent is of choleric temper 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 attack him where he is unprepared appear where you are not expected these military devices leading to victory must not be divulged beforehand now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple air 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 end of part one part two waging war sun tzu said in the operations of war where there are in the field a thousand swift chariots as many heavy chariots and a hundred thousand male clad soldiers with provisions enough to carry them a thousand li the expenditure at home and at the front including entertainment of...

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