Sun Tzu's Art of War | Episode 24: A Winning Army Does Not Rush - The Essence of Competition Taught by the 'Military Struggle' Chapter (Summary of Military Struggle)

War is a way of deception.

Bing zhe, gui dao ye

War is a way of deception.

Modern translation:
Warfare is about deceiving the enemy.

Therefore, when able to attack, seem unable; when using your forces, seem inactive.
When capable, show them you are incapable; when using your forces, show them you are not using them.

Modern translation:
Even if you have the ability, hide it.
Even if you are acting, make it look like you are doing nothing.

When near, make it seem far; when far, make it seem near.
When near, show them you are far; when far, show them you are near.

Modern translation:
Even if you are nearby, make it look like you are far away.
Even if you are far away, make it look like you are nearby.

The 'Military Struggle' chapter is not a chapter about fighting.

It is a chapter about competition.

Here, Sun Tzu points out three dangers.

1. An army that rushes will collapse.

If you rush for profit, the organization will break down.
- Control
- Supply
- Judgment
Everything will collapse.

2. An army that moves is manipulated.

Initiative is determined by
who moves.
The one who makes the enemy move wins.

3. The shortest distance is a trap.

The enemy is at the shortest distance.
Taking a detour is the safest path.

War is not about force, but about manipulating the opponent with strategy.

Sun Tzu speaks here about the essence of war.
War is a way of deception.



Warfare is the way of deception. This is not just a tactic; it is the very structure of war.

What happens if an army acts honestly?
- The advance is visible.

- The attack is predicted.

- The intent is read.
Then the enemy can prepare.
- Strengthen defenses.

- Set up ambushes.

- Organize supplies.
In other words, the battle becomes difficult.
What Sun Tzu aims for is not a war of attrition, but a war that is decided in a short time.

To achieve that, you need to shift the opponent's perception.

If you are strong, look weak.
If you are far, look near.
The moment the opponent misunderstands, the battle is decided.

Historical example: Operation Overlord (Normandy landings)

In June 1944, the Allied forces (US, UK, Canada, France) needed to land in France to liberate the northern part of the country, which was under Nazi German occupation.

Normally, the shortest route from the UK would be to land at Calais.

However, the Allied forces deliberately chose the detour of 'Normandy'.
The reason is simple: the Nazi German army was guarding Calais.

So the Allied forces did something even bolder.

- Formed a 'ghost army' to attack Calais.
- Placed tanks made of rubber.
- Spread false information.

The Nazi German army believed that the Allied forces would land at 'Calais' as expected, and strengthened their defenses there.

Meanwhile, the main landing was made at Normandy, where defenses were thin.
This succeeded and became the catalyst for the collapse of the Nazis.

Truly,
the long way around is the shortest path
is a classic example of victory through the art of deception.

Core Theme

To summarize this into one point,
it is this.

A winning army

・Does not rush
・Does not move
・Does not attack head-on

Instead,

・Chooses the location
・Makes the enemy move
・Takes the long way around.

Then,
the competition itself
collapses.

Summary

War is a way of deception.

War is a path of deception.

Strength is hidden.
Intentions are hidden.
Attacks are invisible.

Victory is
not about overpowering with force.
The moment the opponent misunderstands, the battle is over.

What Sun Tzu teaches:

Sun Tzu does not teach how to fight,
but ratherhow to win.And its essence is very quiet.

Those who win

・Do not panic

・Do not run
・Do not get impatient
Because


they are already in a position where they can win.A quote from Sun Tzu:


“Those who win create the battlefield before they fight.”

Next Episode Preview

Episode 25: There is no 'correct answer' for every situation
~Flexible judgment taught by the 'Nine Changes' chapter~ (Nine Changes Chapter)

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