The Art of Art of War

The Art Of War is a stunning piece of literature that was originally a Chinese military treatise. Dated back to roughly the 5th century BCE, it consists of 13 chapters of advice about strategy, weapons, financial logistics, morale, rank, and discipline. It is a widely celebrated piece of work in both professional and casual settings, the latter consisting of the onset of “wiseposting” memes while the prior is showcased by victory in relatively recent wars. The USA had first taken notice to this book when they lost the Vietnam War, understanding their opponents had utilised Sun Tzu’s strategy optimally. The KGB had used excerpts from the book as morale boosters towards their army.

It has later been discovered that Sun Tzu was not a singular person who had written this book; it is a piece of literature that has been aggregated over the span of 70 years. It is claimed to be a single, continuously evolving intellectual tradition under the Sun dynasty, making it subject to continuous constructive criticism, refining the advice that was passed down generations. While the main focus of the book remains on how to handle the various aspects of war, I would like to focus on two specific statements which reflect upon the philosophy the Sun dynasty had in regards to War.

Heaven signifies night and day, cold and heat, times and seasons.

The author claims that heaven is everchanging and a representative of all states of the natural world. Here, heaven stands as an analogy for the natural forces that we experience. It is easy to lose all hope when faced with the reality of war. Soldiers fight within an inch of their lives, while simultaneously faced with the harsh weather, passage of time, and loss of fellow comrades. This line creates a paradigm shift in how one views war. Rather than viewing it as hell, Tzu refers to it as heaven, a place of ultimate happiness. He claims that the order of the natural world is but an innate property of heaven, and being alive is to flow along with the morphing nature of the world. As soldiers accept that reality, they find comfort and strength in changing alongside nature, boosting morale and ultimately contributing to victory. It is a statement which explains how important mindset is in life, and how we may utilise it to our advantage.

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.

The Sun dynasty understands the act of killing better than any soldier that is drafted for war. This line interprets the act of killing the enemy as something that is not attainable in a neutral state of mind. The common soldier is not to understand the moral implications of his actions during war, as it is brutal and heavy. When the collective goal is victory, the isolated action of a soldier cannot be judged as if he is responsible. If that method is followed, it will lead to defeat and a severe loss of morale. Emotion is what acts as a motivator for the final victory. Without anger, the soldier cannot view his actions with the ultimate goal in mind. He must shed his mind of all other thoughts and allow anger to flood, guiding him through the battlefield in order to finally kill the enemy. Rage is the only way in which the soldier can be part of a greater celebration and receive his reward for victory.

On the whole, The Art of War is as much a philosophical piece of writing as it is a piece of strategy and advice on war. Its lessons and morals act as a benefactor to many organisations and military bases till date. Its analysis of the human mind and contrasting advice towards leaders compared to the common soldier illustrate the psychology behind war. Victory is but a mental game, and Sun Tzu has perfected the rules.