The Art of War by Sun Tzu 12, 13 Attack by Fire Use of Spies Public Domain.
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 12 the attack by fire sun tzu said there are five ways of attacking with fire the first is to burn soldiers in their camp the second is to burn stores the third is to burn baggage trains the fourth is to burn arsenals and magazines the fifth is to hurl dropping fire amongst the enemy in order to carry out an attack we must have means available the material for raising fire should always be kept in readiness there is a proper season for making attacks with fire and special days for starting a conflagration the proper season is when the weather is very dry the special days are those when the moon is in the constellations of the sieve the wall the wing or the crossbar for these four are all days of rising wind in attacking with fire one should be prepared to meet five possible developments one when fire breaks out inside to enemies camp respond at once with an attack from without two if there is an outbreak of fire but the enemy soldiers remain quiet bide your time and do not attack three when the force of the flames has reached its height follow it up with an attack if that is practicable if not stay where you are four if it is possible to make an assault with fire from without do not wait for it to break out within but deliver your attack at a favorable moment five when you start a fire be too windward of it do not attack from the leeward wind that rises in the daytime lasts long but a night breeze soon falls in every army the five developments connected with fire must be known the movements of the stars calculated and a watch kept for the proper days hence those who use fire as an aid to the attack show intelligence those who use water as an aid to hit the attack gain an accession of strength by means of water an enemy may be intercepted but not robbed of all his belongings unhappy is the fate of one who tries to win his battles and succeed in his attacks without cultivating the spirit of enterprise for the result is a waste of time and general stagnation hence the saying the enlightened ruler lays his plans well ahead the good general cultivates his resources 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 no ruler should put troops into the field merely to gratify his own spleen no general should fight a battle simply out of peak 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 hence the enlightened ruler is heedful and the good general full of caution this is the way to keep a country at peace and an army intact end of part 12. part 13 the use of spies sun tzu said raising a host of a hundred thousand men and marching them great distances entails heavy loss on the people and a drain on the resources of the state the daily expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces of silver there will be commotion at home and abroad and men will drop down exhausted on the highways as many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded in their labor hostile armies may feast each other for years striving for the victory which is decided in a single day this being so to remain in ignorance of the enemy's conditions simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors and emoluments is the height of inhumanity one who acts thus is no leader of men no present help to his sovereign no master of victory thus what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and...