The Art of War

The Art of War PDF - Overview

The Art of War is an ancient Chinese military treatise dating from the Late Spring and Autumn Period, It is written by Sun Tzu, He was ancient Chinese military strategist, it is Translated from the Chinese By Lionel Giles, M.A. in 1910, It is composed of 13 chapters, Each one is devoted to a different set of skills or art related to warfare and how it applies to military strategy and tactics.

The Art of War contains a detailed explanation and analysis of the 5th-century BC Chinese military, from weapons and strategy to rank and discipline. Sun also stressed the importance of intelligence operatives and espionage to the war effort. Considered one of history’s finest military tacticians and analysts, his teachings and strategies formed the basis of advanced military training for millennia to come.

The Art of War

Contents of The Art of War

• Laying Plans
• Waging War
• Attack by Stratagem
• Tactical dispositions
• Energy
• Weak Points and Strong
• Maneuvering
• Variation in Tactics
• The Army on the March
• Terrain
• The Nine Situations
• The Attack by Fire
• The Use of Spies

The Art of War chapter names and contents

Chapter of The Art of War	The Art of War by Lionel Giles (1910)	The Art of War by R. L. Wing (1988)	The Art of War by Ralph D. Sawyer (1996)	The Art of War by Chow-Hou Wee (2003)	The Art of War by Michael Nylan (2020)	Contents of The Art of War
I	Laying Plans	The Calculations	Initial Estimations	Detail Assessment and Planning (Chinese: 始計)	First Calculations	Explores the five fundamental factors (the Way, seasons, terrain, leadership, and management) and seven elements that determine the outcomes of military engagements. By thinking, assessing and comparing these points, a commander can calculate his chances of victory. Habitual deviation from these calculations will ensure failure via improper action. The text stresses that war is a very grave matter for the state and must not be commenced without due consideration.
II	Waging War	The Challenge	Waging War	Waging War (Chinese: 作戰)	Initiating Battle	Explains how to understand the economy of warfare and how success requires winning decisive engagements quickly. This section advises that successful military campaigns require limiting the cost of competition and conflict.
III	Attack by Stratagem	The Plan of Attack	Planning Offensives	Strategic Attack (Chinese: 謀攻)	Planning an Attack	Defines the source of strength as unity, not size, and discusses the five factors that are needed to succeed in any war. In order of importance, these critical factors are: Attack, Strategy, Alliances, Army and Cities.
IV	Tactical Dispositions	Positioning	Military Disposition	Disposition of the Army (Chinese: 軍形)	Forms to Perceive	Explains the importance of defending existing positions until a commander is capable of advancing from those positions in safety. It teaches commanders the importance of recognizing strategic opportunities, and teaches not to create opportunities for the enemy.
V	Use of Energy	Directing	Strategic Military Power	Forces (Chinese: 兵勢)	The Disposition of Power	Explains the use of creativity and timing in building an army’s momentum.
VI	Weak Points and Strong	Illusion and Reality	Vacuity and Substance	Weaknesses and Strengths (Chinese: 虛實)	Weak and Strong	Explains how an army’s opportunities come from the openings in the environment caused by the relative weakness of the enemy and how to respond to changes in the fluid battlefield over a given area.
VII	Maneuvering an Army	Engaging The Force	Military Combat	Military Maneuvers (Chinese: 軍爭)	Contending Armies	Explains the dangers of direct conflict and how to win those confrontations when they are forced upon the commander.
VIII	Variation of Tactics	The Nine Variations	Nine Changes	Variations and Adaptability (Chinese: 九變)	Nine Contingencies	Focuses on the need for flexibility in an army’s responses. It explains how to respond to shifting circumstances successfully.
IX	The Army on the March	Moving The Force	Maneuvering the Army	Movement and Development of Troops (Chinese: 行軍)	Fielding the Army	Describes the different situations in which an army finds itself as it moves through new enemy territories, and how to respond to these situations. Much of this section focuses on evaluating the intentions of others.
X	Classification of Terrain	Situational Positioning	Configurations of Terrain	Terrain (Chinese: 地形)	Conformations of the Lands	Looks at the three general areas of resistance (distance, dangers and barriers) and the six types of ground positions that arise from them. Each of these six field positions offers certain advantages and disadvantages.
XI	The Nine Situations	The Nine Situations	Nine Terrains	The Nine Battlegrounds (Chinese: 九地)	Nine Kinds of Ground	Describes the nine common situations (or stages) in a campaign, from scattering to deadly, and the specific focus that a commander will need in order to successfully navigate them.
XII	Attack by Fire	The Fiery Attack	Incendiary Attacks	Attacking with Fire (Chinese: 火攻)	Attacks with Fire	Explains the general use of weapons and the specific use of the environment as a weapon. This section examines the five targets for attack, the five types of environmental attack and the appropriate responses to such attacks.
XIII	Use of Spies	The Use of Intelligence	Employing Spies	Intelligence and Espionage (Chinese: 用間)	Using Spies	Focuses on the importance of developing good information sources, and specifies the five types of intelligence sources and how to best manage each of them.

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