The ancient military treatises of Sun Tzu, Niccolo Machiavelli, and Carl von Clausewitz are all too often looked upon by readers as texts that are not applicable to modern-day warfare. The fact that these treatises were published centuries ago—Sun Tzu’s The Art of War in roughly 500 B.C., Machiavelli’s The Art of War in 1521, and Clausewitz’s Principles of War in the early nineteenth century—only furthers the belief that these treatises were designed for ancient warfare and thus have no current day applicability. A thorough examination of current events, however, suggests that the tactics within these ancient treatises are still applicable to warfare. In fact, current day events—events ranging from the Civil War in Syria to the Russian-American
Harvard University warfare historian Ralph D. Sawyer, for example, showers Sun Tzu’s masterpiece with praise, labeling it as “the most profound military treatise” (Sun Tzu 79). The Art of War’s fame, however, is not something new. During the Warring States period (circa 475-221 B.C.) of China, a period of intense conflict between dynasties, Sun Tzu’s military writings and tactics were in high demand. For instance, when the Wu dynasty wanted to wage war against a neighboring state, its king, Wu Tzu-hsu, recruited Sun Tzu, elevating him to the prestigious position of general. Under the command of Sun Tzu, the Wu dynasty absorbed neighboring territories and established the first dynastic government. When the Chou state suffered a major loss, Sun Tzu became the struggling state’s leading general and transformed the Chou into a force to be reckoned with. By sharpening the troop’s skills and giving heed to the landscape of the battlefield—both of which are tactics found in The Art of War—Sun Tzu turned the weak Chou into a formidable state. Although Sun Tzu originally intended for his military tactics to be employed in fifth century B.C. China, his tactics are far from no longer applicable. Indeed, many of his tactics can be spotted in the present day—still leading, just like they did in the Warring States period, armies to victory. Of all the topics covered in Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, perhaps no topic is more covered than preservation. In fact, Sun Tzu devotes a whole chapter to describing how a general should preserve his enemy instead of annihilating his enemy’s homeland and resources. To quote Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu. The Art of War. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963.
War is the means to many ends. The ends of ruthless dictators, of land disputes, and lives – each play its part in the reasoning for war. War is controllable. It can be avoided; however, once it begins, the bat...
During 221 BC, China went through a time called the Warring States Period. Emperor Shi Huangdi rose to power during this time and defeated his enemies and consolidated rule in China. Emperor Shi Huangdi was the first person to unify China in all of history. The emperor was able to use legalist policies to increases his power over his people. Shi Huangdi philosophy of legalism says that all people are evil, and harsh laws must be made to keep them in line. If people are left alone, they will act badly. During the Warring States Period
Clausewitz emphasizes that “war is a branch of political activity, that it is in no sense autonomous” (Clausewitz, 605). This principle is especially applicable to the post-war period of World War II. The political struggle between the ideologies of democracy and communism would entail global focus for the next 50 years, and the events that brought about the defeat of Germany shaped the landscape of this political struggle.
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.” (BAM, 2010, p.20) These words were first written down over 2,400 years ago by a Chinese general named Sun Tzu in his famous military strategy treatise known today as The Art of War. These words, in fact the entire book, are just as valid today as they were during Sun Tzu’s lifetime. He was one of the first truly visionary and ethical military leaders in the world. Despite the fact that there is not much known about Sun Tzu today other than his writings, in this essay, I intend to extract his essence from his treatise to prove he was a visionary leader. I will then continue to prove he was also an ethical leader. Finally, I will finish by detailing how his seminal work has inspired me to self-reflect on how I can be a better visionary and ethical leader in the 21st Century Air Force. So, what exactly is a ‘visionary’ leader?
Mo Tzu lived and taught during the tumultuous Period of Warring States (475-221 BCE) in ancient China. He believed people should only do that which benefits themselves or others and that the civil wars that were taking place were a waste of both time and resources. At the time, Mo Tzu’s teachings were very controversial and differed from the popular belief...
Sun Tzu strongly advocates for trickery on the battlefield, saying “All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable.”7 The Athenians use their smaller army to their advantage and planned a tactical military formation outside of Marathon. They placed the majority of the men in the left and right wings of the army, which meant the “ranks of the centre were diminished, and it became the weakest part of the line” in the hopes that the Persian army would break through.8 When the battle commenced, the front line of Athenians charged at the enemy, and to the Persians “it seemed to them that the Athenians were bereft of their senses, an bent upon their own destruction; for they saw a mere handful of men coming on at a run.”9 The Persians were lulled into a false sense of security, thinking that their enemies had much less men than they actually
"The Internet Classics Archive | The Art of War by Sun Tzu." The Internet Classics Archive | The Art of War by Sun Tzu. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2014. .
Current military leadership should comprehend the nature of war in which they are engaged within a given political frame in order to develop plans that are coherent with the desired political end state. According to Clausewitz, war is an act of politics that forces an enemy to comply with certain conditions or to destroy him through the use of violence. A nation determines its vital interests, which drives national strategy to obtain or protect those interests. A country achieves those goals though the execution of one of the four elements of power, which are diplomatic, informational, military and economical means. The use of military force...
Clausewitz's On War, first published in 1832, until now remains one of the most influential studies in understanding character, nature and conditions of warfare. In his book Clausewitz not only traced an interaction of intension and planning with the realities of combat, but by exploring the relationship of war to policy, politics and society gave a new philosophical justification to the art of war. (Heuser, 2002)
Throughout history there have been many leaders who have succeeded and led their people to greatness, and countless others who have failed and brought ruin. A good leader must be courageous, wise, and able to react well to the difficult situations that they may face. One man who had all of these characteristics and more was Charlemagne, King of Frankia located in modern day France. Throughout his long life he united the Frankish kingdoms, saved the papacy from destruction, and fought off barbarians during a critical point in Europe’s history (Sullivan). In addition, he also went on to found two of the world’s most influential kingdoms in history, the Kingdom of France and the Holy Roman Empire (Knowles). Charlemagne the Great, as he was known in his home kingdom of Frankia, ultimately fit the mold and even exceeded the requirements for being a good leader set forth by Sun Tzu in his book: The Art of War. He endured many struggles, suffered demoralizing losses, and experienced the highest of victories throughout his storied reign as King of the Franks, Italy, and as the first Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, all of which would last for centuries to come.
After twenty-five hundred years, Sun Tzu’s The Art of War still reigns supreme. In that long span of time, numerous empires have risen, expanded and collapsed. Wars have reached and ravaged almost every point on the planet. Humans have evolved from using swords and spears to using machine guns and missiles. Parts of the world have been colonized and have risen to prominence where once people thought there was no land. The Art of War has withstood all of this and stayed the most important source of military strategy for over two millennia. No other military document, and in fact few other written books at all, have come close to lasting this long. If ever asked: Can something as old as The Art of War remain relevant today, when it’s subject matter has changed so drastically in so long a time? The answer for now, and maybe forever, is a resounding ‘yes’.
Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general but most importantly a philosopher that lived in the 6th century BC. He is the author of The Art of War, a book about military strategy. The Art of war contains thirteen chapters all delivering keys to military strategy for success. It is a famous work of art that is used nowadays in many fields including business, sport and diplomacy. Business leaders develop strategies inspired form Sun Tzu ideas to reach their goals.
The Warring States is the subject and title of Griffith’s third chapter, which gives an enlightening look at the life and times in China after the defeat of the rule of Chin at Ching Yang in 453. (p. 20) The country was divided into eight individual warring sects (with the exception of Yen...
One of the most important factors in a nation’s success in war is strategy, and it is also the