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Far betterto die for our country than to go with fettered hands
intocaptivity!
6: Fierce as a blazing firewhich no man can check. Let your
plans be dark and impenetrable as night, andwhen you move, fall like a
thunderbolt. Henderson: Therules of strategy are few and simple. with the total
defeat of Wu by Kou Chienand its incorporation in Yueh. So in war, the way is
to avoid what is strong and tostrike at what is weak. We can form a single
united body, while the enemy mustsplit up into fractions. He did not often call
upon his troops forextraordinary exertions. Tu Yu says preventthe from having
any rest. Chang Yu defines this situation as being situatedacross the frontier,
in hostile territory.
After that, comes tactical maneuvering, than which
thereis nothing more difficult. Foment intrigueand deceit, and thus sow
dissension between the ruler and hisministers.
Ssu-ma Fa, too, make the
incisive remark: Simply going to onesdeath does not bring about victory. If you
march thirty LI with the same object, two-thirdsof your army will arrive.
The
othercommentators are not at all explicit. 6: Fierce as a blazing firewhich no
man can check. But there are circumstances which sometimes forbid ageneral to
use these advantages.
These are the five besetting sins of a general, ruinousto
the conduct of war. Tu Mu adds pleasantly: Afterthat, you may crush him. The
loyal troops numberedonly a few thousands, while their opponents were in great
force.
By this plea, had he but known it,he was only condemning him out of Sun
Tzus mouth. We can form a single united body, while the enemy mustsplit up into
fractions.
You can be sure of succeeding in your attacks if youonly attack
places which are undefended. Therefore, just as water retains no constant
shape, soin warfare there are no constant conditions.
Ssu-ma Fa, too, make the
incisive remark: Simply going to onesdeath does not bring about victory.
We
cannot enter into alliances until we are acquaintedwith the designs of our
neighbors.
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