Sun Tzu's Art of War | Episode 10: Why a Frontal Assault is the Worst Choice ~The Moment Exhaustion Destroys Judgment~ (Attack by Stratagem)

The moment exhaustion destroys judgment

As we saw in the previous episode,
Sun Tzu did not speak of "winning without fighting" as a mere ideal.

What he consistently warns about is
the reality that the moment one enters a battle, one loses the ability to judge.
In Episode 10 (Attack by Stratagem Part 2),

we will delve into why Sun Tzu so strongly rejected the "frontal assault."

The "Four Stages" shown in Attack by Stratagem

As noted in Episode 9,
Sun Tzu organizes how to win into the following four stages:
1. Attack by stratagem — Destroying the opponent's judgment itself
2. Attack by alliances — Breaking down alliances, relationships, and premises
3. Attack by force — Military action and frontal collision
4. Attack by besieging cities — Attacking a city = the worst option (the lowest strategy)

Sun Tzu clearly states that
the further down you go, the greater the cost and destruction.

The true meaning of "besieging cities is the lowest strategy"

Sun Tzu says this:

Therefore, those who are skilled in war subdue the enemy's army without fighting, and capture their cities without attacking them.

What is important here is
not the command "do not attack cities,"

but the warning "do not fall into a situation where you must attack a city."


The act of attacking a city
is not a tactical failure;

it is
a state where you are already on the path to defeat.

The four collapses brought about by a frontal collision

The moment you enter a frontal assault, the following occurs:

① Exhaustion begins
People, money, and time are depleted all at once.

② Judgment is dominated by emotion
・Cannot back down
・Cannot admit defeat
・The psychology of "since I've come this far"

③ The cost of withdrawal skyrockets
You become unable to cut your losses.

④ Even if you win, the organization is destroyed
Exhaustion, dissatisfaction, and internal conflict remain.

What Sun Tzu feared
was not defeat itself,
but this "collapse of judgment."

A frontal assault is "too costly even if you win"

Sun Tzu's view of war is consistent:

The supreme victory is to win without fighting.

The reason is clear:

① War maximizes a nation's exhaustion
A frontal assault means:
・Soldiers are killed or wounded
・Supplies are exhausted
・National power is depleted
・Post-war governance becomes difficult

In other words,
even if you win, the nation is weakened.

② Besieging a city is the lowest strategy
・It takes time
・Exhaustion of troops is severe
・Command effectiveness drops
・The attacking side is at a disadvantage

Battles that push force through emotion
are proof that strategy has been exhausted, Sun Tzu believed.

③ The truly strong "win before they fight"
The priority order Sun Tzu considers is this:
1. Win by stratagem
2. Break them down through diplomacy
3. Cut off their alliances
4. Win in the field

A frontal assault is a way of fighting that takes the opponent's strength head-on.
That is why Sun Tzu considered

・Striking weaknesses
・Dividing the enemy
・Cutting off supply lines
・Destroying from within
as the

highest form of wisdom.

Why do people choose a frontal assault?

Even so, people try to collide head-on.
The reason is simple.

・It is easy to understand
・It is brave
・It is easy to be evaluated
・It gives a "sense of fighting"

However, according to Sun Tzu,
that is the choice of the weak.

The stronger one is,
・the less they move until the conditions for victory are met
・the less they fight if they cannot win
・the more they prioritize avoiding a fight if possible

A frontal assault is
an action taken after abandoning thought
.

Applying this to the modern day

Frontal assaults in modern business include:

・Price competition
・Excessive advertising wars
・Human wave tactics
・Unreasonable expansion strategies

All of these are
"the state of attacking a castle".

Price competition, in particular,
is the most foolish form of siege warfare.

The moment you lower prices,
・profits are eroded
・stamina drops
・judgment becomes short-sighted

Even if you win,
all that remains is an exhausted organization.

Sun Tzu would likely say this:
"That is not a victory"

Questions to avoid a frontal assault

What the Attack by Stratagem chapter poses is not tactics.

It is the following questions:

・Is it truly necessary to fight on that playing field?
・Are you creating a structure where you are compared?
・Are you trying to fight on the opponent's strengths?

The moment you skip these questions,
you enter the "path of attacking a castle."

Core message

A frontal assault is not a brave choice.

It is
the result of losing other options.

A foolish commander tries to win on the battlefield.
A wise commander decides the outcome before fighting.

Sun Tzu says,
stop and pause before falling into that state
.

Summary

The warfare Sun Tzu considers is:

・Frontal assaults severely exhaust the state
・Even if you win, there is little to gain
・The best policy is to "win without fighting"
・War is conducted with wisdom, not force

In other words,

winning by force is second-rate; winning by wisdom is first-rate
This is the core of the Attack by Stratagem chapter.

Next episode preview

Next time, we finally reach the intellectual climax of the Attack by Stratagem chapter.

[Episode 11] What is Strategy? ~Winning through Information, Psychology, and Structure~

Sun Tzu's Art of War Series Table of Contents *You can check all episodes up to the latest article