Quotes About Combat

To lift an autumn hair is no sign of great strength; to see the sun and moon is no sign of sharp sight; to hear the noise of thunder is no sign of a quick ear. What the ancients called a clever fighter is one who not only wins, but excels in winning with ease. Hence his victories bring him neither reputation for wisdom nor credit for courage.

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

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.

Every animal with blood in its veins and horns on its head will fight when it is attacked.

while the main laws of strategy can be stated clearly enough for the benefit of all and sundry, you must be guided by the actions of the enemy in attempting to secure a favorable position in actual warfare.

When you start a fire, be to windward of it. Do not attack from the leeward.

1. Sun Tzu said: The art of war recognizes nine varieties of ground: (1) Dispersive ground; (2) Facile ground; (3) Contentious ground; (4) Open ground; (5) Ground of intersecting highways; (6) Serious ground; (7) Difficult ground; (8) Hemmed-in ground; (9) Desperate ground.

Do not pursue an enemy who simulates flight; do not attack soldiers whose temper is keen.

Now in order to kill the enemy, our men must be roused to anger; that there may be advantage from defeating the enemy, they must have their rewards. [Tu Mu says: Rewards

The quality of decision is like the well-timed swoop of a falcon which enables it to strike and destroy its victim. Therefore the good fighter will be terrible in his onset, and prompt in his decision.

7. It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.

He who knows when he can fight and when he cannot, will be victorious.

Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack." It

So morning energy is keen, midday energy slumps, evening energy recedes—therefore those skilled in use of arms avoid the keen energy and strike the slumping and receding. These are those who master energy.

Warfare is the Way of deception.

16. While we keep away from such places, we should get the enemy to approach them; while we face them, we should let the enemy have them on his rear.

El arte de la guerra se basa en el engaño

Hence a wise general makes a point of foraging on the enemy.

The reason troops slay the enemy is because they are enraged.

Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be defeated.

Connais ton ennemi et connais-toi toi-même ; eussiez-vous cent guerres à soutenir, cent fois vous serez victorieux. Si tu ignores ton ennemi et que tu te connais toi-même, tes chances de perdre et de gagner seront égales. Si tu ignores à la fois ton ennemi et toi-même, tu ne compteras tes combats que par tes défaites.

The chief lesson of this chapter, in Tu Mu's opinion, is the paramount importance in war of rapid evolutions and sudden rushes. Great results, he adds, can thus be achieved with small forces.]

18. Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat.

Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive. He adds: Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.