Essential Military Strategy and Planning Skills for Managers

Author: Li Xiaorui
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-11-01
Features: The Art of War, as one of China's earliest military treatises, is renowned as the "Holy Scripture of Military Strategy," the "Teacher of Generals for Generations," and the "World's Ancient Military Classic." As early as the Tang Dynasty, The Art of War was introduced to Japan, and subsequently to countries like Korea and Vietnam, where numerous commentaries were produced. In 1772, the French version of The Art of War was published in Paris, marking the beginning of its dissemination in the West. Today, The Art of War has been translated into nearly 30 languages and is widely circulated worldwide.
The author of The Art of War is Sun Wu. Sun Wu, styled Changqing, was a native of Yue'an in the State of Qi (now Zhongmin County, Shandong Province), with an uncertain birth and death date. He lived around the same time as Confucius or slightly earlier and was a renowned military theorist of the late Spring and Autumn Period, hailed as the "Forefather of Military Strategy."
Sun Wu's ancestors were the prince of Chen, Chen Wan, who fled Chen due to internal turmoil and settled in Qi, changing his surname to Tian. During the reign of King Jing of Qi, Sun Wu's grandfather Tian Shu was granted the surname Sun and granted land in Yue'an for his contributions in defeating the State of Ju. In his youth, Sun Wu left Qi due to internal strife among the nobility and arrived in the rising State of Wu, where he met the military strategist Wu Zixu. In 512 BCE, thanks to Wu Zixu's strong recommendation, Sun Wu was able to meet King Helü of Wu and presented his 13 chapters of military strategy, which won the admiration of the king and earned him the appointment as a general. Thereafter, Sun Wu assisted King Helü in governing the state and strengthening the army, making significant contributions to Wu's prosperity.
As Wu's hegemonic ambitions flourished, King Fuchai of Wu grew arrogant, rejected (advice from loyal ministers), and listened to the slander of treacherous officials. Sun Wu quietly retired to the mountains, where he revised his 13 chapters of military strategy based on his experience in training troops and commanding battles, refining them to perfection.
The 13 chapters of The Art of War are titled: The Art of War, The Art of Strategy, The Art of Attack, The Art of Form, The Art of Momentum, The Art of the Real and the Unreal, The Art of Competition, The Art of Adaptability, The Art of Marching, The Art of Terrain, The Art of the Nine Terrains, The Art of Fire Warfare, and The Art of Espionage. They are concise yet profound, summarizing the principles of war and presenting a systematic military theory. Each chapter has a central theme but collectively forms a complete ideological system, providing detailed explanations on pre-war preparations, strategy application, battle deployment, and enemy intelligence, all meticulously and comprehensively.
In terms of theoretical characteristics, The Art of War emphasizes the role of commanders, advocates offensive strategies, features dialectical thinking, and places great importance on the use of strategy. In the history of world military science, The Art of War represents the pinnacle of traditional military thought. Throughout China's dynastic wars, it has served as a guiding principle. Sun Wu's teachings on wisdom, trustworthiness, benevolence, courage, and discipline have become the "martial virtue" of Chinese soldiers for over 2,500 years. Principles such as "Know your enemy and know yourself, and you will never be in danger in a hundred battles," "A general acting in the field is not bound by the orders of the sovereign," "There is no constant strategy in war," "War is founded on deception," and "The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting" remain timeless military maxims. The Art of War has long been revered as the "Forefather of Military Strategy."
In terms of operational methods, The Art of War proposes rapid resolution, securing victory first, flexibility, and the importance of terrain. Sun Wu emphasized that "the art of war values swift victory, not prolonged duration." He believed that military engagements should avoid drawn-out conflicts and strive for decisive outcomes. Given the objective conditions of the time, this view aligned with the requirements of warfare. "Securing victory first" refers to creating the conditions for victory before engaging in battle.