More Principles of War

Alright, you stupid fuckin’ morons! Here’s more things to know about warfare!

• Sun Tzu (Chinese), The Art of War.
  1. “Foreknowledge cannot be gotten from ghosts and spirits, cannot be had by analogy, cannot be found out by calculation. It must be obtained from people, people who know the conditions of the enemy.”
  2. “Even the finest sword plunged into salt water will eventually rust.”
  3. “Rewards for good service should not be deferred a single day.”
  4. “There are five dangerous faults which may affect a general: (1) Recklessness, which leads to destruction; (2) cowardice, which leads to capture; (3) a hasty temper, which can be provoked by insults; (4) a delicacy of honor which is sensitive to shame; (5) over-solicitude for his men, which exposes him to worry and trouble.”
  5. “There are roads which must not be followed, armies which must not be attacked, towns which must not be besieged, positions which must not be contested, commands of the sovereign which must not be obeyed.”
  6. “The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.”
  7. “There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.”
  8. “Who wishes to fight must first count the cost.”
  9. “He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.”
  10. “The wise warrior avoids the battle.”
  11. “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
  12. “In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”
  13. “Move not unless you see an advantage; use not your troops unless there is something to be gained; fight not unless the position is critical.”
  14. “He who is prudent and lies in wait for an enemy who is not, will be victorious.”
  15. “The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.”
  16. “If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them. If sovereign and subject are in accord, put division between them. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.”
  17. “Do not swallow bait offered by the enemy. Do not interfere with an army that is returning home.”
  18. “Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you; this will diminish his enthusiasm.”
  19. “The skillful tactician may be likened to the shuai-jan. Now the shuai-jan is a snake that is found in the Ch’ang mountains. Strike at its head, and you will be attacked by its tail; strike at its tail, and you will be attacked by its head; strike at its middle, and you will be attacked by head and tail both.”
  20. “In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack–the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of maneuvers.”
  21. “If words of command are not clear and distinct, if orders are not thoroughly understood, then the general is to blame. But, if orders are clear and the soldiers nevertheless disobey, then it is the fault of their officers.”
  22. “When one treats people with benevolence, justice, and righteousness, and reposes confidence in them, the army will be united in mind and all will be happy to serve their leaders.”
• Star Wars the Clone Wars.
  1. ‘’Easy is the path to wisdom for those not blinded by themselves.”
  2. “Arrogance diminishes wisdom.”
  3. “Overconfidence is the most dangerous form of carelessness.”
  4. “Sometimes, accepting help is harder than offering it.”
  5. “A wise leader knows when to follow.”
  6. “A plan is only as good as those who see it through.”
  7. “Crowns are inherited, kingdoms are earned.”
  8. “Most powerful is he who controls his own power.”
  9. “Revenge is a confession of pain.”
  10. “Evil is not born, it is taught.”
  11. “Disobedience is a demand for change.”
  12. “Who my father was matters less than my memory of him.”
  13. “Who you were does not have to define who you are.“
  14. ”You can change who you are, but you cannot run from yourself.”
  15. “He who faces himself, finds himself.”
  16. “Adaptation is the key to survival.”
  17. “The popular belief isn’t always the correct one.”
  18. “Ignore your instincts at your peril.”
  19. “Fear not for the future, weep not for the past.”
  20. “The future has many paths – choose wisely.”
  21. “If you ignore the past, you jeopardize your future.”
  22. “When surrounded by war, one must eventually choose a side.”
  23. “The costs of war can never be truly accounted for.”
  24. “In war, truth is the first casualty.”
  25. “Searching for the truth is easy. Accepting the truth is hard.”
  26. “The challenge of hope is to overcome corruption.”
  27. “Choose what is right, not what is easy.”
  28. “Only through fire is a strong sword forged.”
  29. “Who a person truly is cannot be seen with the eye.”
  30. ”Understanding is honoring the truth beneath the surface.”
  31. “Love comes in all shapes and sizes.”
• Alexander the Great (Greek): had a huge empire once.
  1. “I am not afraid of an army of lions led by a sheep; I am afraid of an army of sheep led by a lion.”
  2. “Each moment free from fear makes a man immortal.”
  3. “How should a man be capable of grooming his own horse, or of furbishing his own spear and helmet, if he allows himself to become unaccustomed to tending even his own person, which is his most treasured belonging?”
  4. “When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion of our life that we will never take back.”
  5. “My treasure lies in my friends.”
  6. “For my own part, I would rather excel in knowledge of the highest secrets of philosophy than in arms.”
  7. “I am indebted to my father for living, but to my teacher [Aristotle] for living well.”

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