The Art of War by Sun Tzu

1424 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Essays on sun tzus art of war

War has been an aspect of life ever since the earliest civilizations. Whether it be for self-gain, defending your nation or others reasons, it cannot not be avoided in this conflicted world. When that time approaches every military leader must know how to conduct himself with the most efficiency. A leader must have this knowledge so he can lead his troops in a fashion that points towards victory. The critically acclaimed novel, The Art of War, is considered one of the greatest books on military strategy by many, and was written by Sun Tzu, a man who was given the title of one of the greatest military leaders by other military figures, and even though it may be difficult to understand at times, is still a very enjoyable read for anyone interested in military tactics.
The Art of War is full of powerful yet frightening ways that Sun Tzu said war should be fought. The tactics that Tzu used in war were affective, but some leaders today would consider him a warmonger for his actions. In his book he explains that war must be without mercy, but at some points one must give grace. Page upon page told of the slaughtering of entire cities that he invaded. However, the book does contain accounts of Tzu sparing entire armies and letting them return home. Even though he was a ruthless killer on the battlefield, he did seem to keep to his philosophy that he wrote stating, "In the practical art of war, the best thing of all is to take the enemy's country whole and intact; to shatter and destroy it is not so good. So, too, it is better to recapture an army entire than to destroy it, to capture a regiment, a detachment or a company entire than to destroy them." (pg.32)
The Art of War shows the philosophy of Sun Tzu as he describes how to ma...

... middle of paper ...

...Cited
"NCZOnline." Book Review: The Art of War. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.
"Sun Tzu and The Art of War." Sun Tzu. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.
"Sun Tzu: A Critique Of Flaws In Chapter One ‘Laying Plans’." William Holland. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Apr. 2014.
"Sun Tzu Biography - The Art of War Author." Sun Tzu Biography - The Art of War Author. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.
"Sun Tzu." Biography. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013.
"Sun Tzu Quotes." Sun Tzu Quotes (Author of The Art of War). N.p., n.d. Web. 12 May 2013.
"The Art of War." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2013.
"The Art of War By Sun TZU – A Critical Review." The Readers Eye. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Mar. 2013.
United States of America. Library. Sun Tzu Chinese Military Leader (c. 544 B.C. - C. 496 B.C.). By Arthur Waldron. N.p.: Houghton Mifflin, 1996. Literature Resource Center. Web.

Show More
Related

  • George Washington Classical Sun Tzu Strategist and Master in the Art of War

    1772 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Art of War. Translated by Samuel B. Griffith. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1963. Von Clausewitz, Carl. A. Translated and edited by Sir Michael Howard and Peter Paret.

    Read More

  • Where Men Win Glory, by Jon Krakauer

    1088 Words  | 3 Pages

    War is the means to many ends. The ends of ruthless dictators, of land disputes, and lives – each play its part in the reasoning for war. War is controllable. It can be avoided; however, once it begins, the bat...

    Read More

  • Brian Turner's The Hurt Locker

    2149 Words  | 5 Pages

    Hicks, Patrick. "War, Literature and the Arts." War, Literature and the Arts. An International Journal of the Humanitie, n.d. Web. 6 Dec. 2013. .

    Read More

  • The Tao-te Ching by Lao-Tzu and The Prince by Machiavelli

    1754 Words  | 4 Pages

    Boltz, William G. Lao tzu Tao te ching. In Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide, edited by Michael Loewe. Berkeley: University of California, 1993.

    Read More

  • One With the Animals: Symbolism of the Animals in The Wars

    1137 Words  | 3 Pages

    Kich, Martin. "The Wars." Cyclopedia Of Literary Characters, Revised Third Edition (1998): 1. Literary Reference Center. Web. 9 Apr. 2014.

    Read More

  • Adolf Hitler and the Loss of World War II

    2071 Words  | 5 Pages

    Lacey, Jim. "How to Lose a War." World War II 25.6 (2011): 30-38. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 25 Apr. 2011.

    Read More

  • Sun Tzu's Impact on Historical Warfare Strategies

    2372 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Art of War is a treatise written in Ancient China that discusses the most and least effective military strategies for successful warfare according to Sun Tzu, a military general whose existence is still debated to this day. While not every military commander in the history of warfare has read it, the strategies provided can be used as a way to assess said commanders and the effectiveness of their campaigns. In Sun Tzu 's own words, “The general that hearkens to my counsel and acts upon it, will conquer: let such a one be retained in command! The general that hearkens not to my counsel nor acts upon it, will suffer defeat:--let such a one be dismissed!”1 This paper will discuss various iconic battles throughout history and how closely the leading commanders of each army followed the advice of Sun Tzu. Despite the fact that Sun Tzu lived hundreds of years before many of these battles took place, the

    Read More

  • Individuals That Contributed To The Civil War

    1908 Words  | 4 Pages

    Woodworth, Steven E. Davis and Lee at War. University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas. 1995.

    Read More

  • The Battle of Okinawa Analysis

    1878 Words  | 4 Pages

    "The Internet Classics Archive | The Art of War by Sun Tzu." The Internet Classics Archive | The Art of War by Sun Tzu. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Mar. 2014. .

    Read More

  • Should Intelligent Design be Taught in Public Schools?

    1653 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Web. The Web. 21 Mar. 2012. The.

    Read More

  • On War by Carl Von Clausewitz

    1315 Words  | 3 Pages

    Carl von Clausewitz, “What is War?” On War. Edited and translated by Michael Howard and Peter Paret, 89-112. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1976.

    Read More

  • Sun Tzu's The Art of War

    2159 Words  | 5 Pages

    Samuel B. Griffith’s translation of “Sun Tzu: The Art of War” is an inside look at military practices of today. I did not find one technique that is not or would not be utilized in modern military maneuver, leadership, or training. The most astounding fact is that the Art of War was written well over two thousand years ago, even at the most conservative date. Although most of the techniques in this text are already in practice today, the value of “The Art of War” is a never-ending treasure chest of knowledge, and it deserves a place as a required reading for anyone seeking knowledge about war fighting or the history of war.

    Read More

  • Temple Of The Golden Pavilion Essay

    568 Words  | 2 Pages

    Yukio Mishima’s Temple of the Golden Pavilion represents the hardships, evil, and rebirth throughout the timeline of the war and after, creating the individual experience and perspective of a young man fighting his own personal, internal wars. This is highlighted through first person accounts of brutal acts of military officials and the contrast of the beauty in

    Read More

  • Summary Of The Art Of War By Sun Tzu

    956 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sun Tzu was a Chinese military general but most importantly a philosopher that lived in the 6th century BC. He is the author of The Art of War, a book about military strategy. The Art of war contains thirteen chapters all delivering keys to military strategy for success. It is a famous work of art that is used nowadays in many fields including business, sport and diplomacy. Business leaders develop strategies inspired form Sun Tzu ideas to reach their goals.

    Read More

  • The Syrian Refugee Crisis

    1420 Words  | 3 Pages

    No page. Web. The Web. The Web. 10 Sept 2015.

    Read More

More about The Art of War by Sun Tzu

Open Document