The Book of War: Sun-tzu The Art of Warfare Karl von Clausewitz On War by Sun Tzu

The Book of War: Sun-tzu The Art of Warfare Karl von Clausewitz On War Reviews

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  Nicholas Whyte

  
  http://nhw.livejournal.com/791254.html[return][return]A series of aphorisms from two and a half millennia ago about how to win wars: in summary, by having a better idea of what you are doing, and preparing your own troops accordingly, than your opponent. The advice is sufficiently general that I'm not surprised to see it quoted in management handbooks, and I guess also in advice to thrusting young Wall Street brokers too.[return][return]Two points slightly jumped out at me. The first was the suggestion that in the event of prolonged war, the people will object: "three-tenths of their income will be dissipated; while government expenses for broken chariots, worn-out horses, breast-plates and helmets, bows and arrows, spears and shields, protective mantles, draught-oxen and heavy wagons, will amount to four-tenths of its total revenue." The US military budget of $470 billion is not quite as big, less than 20% of the total federal budget (though comfortably over 20% of income), but of course governments as a whole did a lot less in Sun Tzu's day.[return][return]The second was his interesting justification for the gathering of intelligence. I am fascinated by the flow of informations in international politics, but Sun Tzu's expression of why this is important as practically a moral imperative seemed to me unique: "to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver is the height of stupidity. One who acts thus is no leader of men, no present help to his cause, no master of victory. Thus, what enables the wise commander to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge. Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation. Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men." I wonder who he thought he was arguing against, and what kind of thing he had in mind?
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  Nate Hill

  An excellent compilation of two (of three in my opinion) seminal works on warfare. I prefer this translation of Clausewitz (Jolle) vice the Paret/Howard editions. Clausewitz is hard to understand if you think in 21st Century terms/schema; however, if you consider his work through the lens of the classic (vice Hegelian) dialectic, his work is much easier to understand. The principles that KvC identifies still have merit today.
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  Brandy Salazar

  Powerful. Many a politician and/or civilian would benefit from reading and gaining an insight into how strategic warfare is devised and executed and the repercussions of both.
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  Jay-p

  The Art of War by Sun Tzu (1971)
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  Robert

  I must read for anyone interested in history, military, and politics.
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  Adrian Solorzano

  Excellent translation. Worth the purchase. Some outdated concepts but overall an important work of art that includes two historically important books.
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  Tao (Steven) Zheng

  This edition got to be my favourite edition of Sun Tzu's Art of War (in English). You got archaeological and historical notes at the start, the text in the original Chinese (traditional characters too!) and English translation, as well as newly unearthed content in addition to the original text! A gold mine of information for those interested in military thought and strategy.
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  Aaron

  Just read, On War