Sun Tzu on why the best victory needs no battle. From The Art of War by Sun Tzu, about the 5th century BC.
For a book about war, The Art of War is oddly cool on battles. Chapter 3 ranks the ways to win, from best to worst.
Best is to spoil the enemy’s plans. Next is to split him from his allies. Then comes fighting his army in the field. Worst of all is the siege: months of digging, then an assault that can cost a third of the men.
Chapter 3 of The Art of War ranks battle low. The best victory breaks the enemy’s resistance without fighting, and the worst is a siege. In 1948, the Soviet Union blockaded West Berlin. The United States and Britain flew supplies in for almost a year instead of forcing the roads, and in May 1949 the blockade was lifted without a battle.
The best win is the one where nobody has to fight. Practical advice: before a showdown, ask what the other side is counting on, and quietly take it away.
Well established · checked against 3 sourcesAsk what the other side is counting on, and quietly take it away.
“A coworker keeps taking credit for my work. How do I stop it without a big fight?”
Win Without the Fight and the other 11 ideas of The Art of War, a minute at a time.
Download on theApp StoreEvery idea is drawn from the public-domain text, and its names, dates and quotes are checked against the sources listed with it. The paintings are made for Counsel; they show the scene, not a historical record.
