Art of War: General Sun-Tzu of Ancient China Fifth Century B.C.

By Heath Breaux

As modern Americans, many of us exist with the mindset that our lives are limited, if not free of conflict. But to the contrary, everything from our dates of birth to our cultural orientations is to the credit of a prevailing strategy taking place to make each and every one of us possible. Also, our day to day lives, and even how we earn our livlihoods are linked to many relationships between what has come to be victorious and what was forced into concession.
Strategy is the marriage between the wisdom of oneself and the awareness of what could or would act in a manner that works against the interests of one or many. Such a train of thought is based upon how one exercises awareness of his own actions and reactions in given situations, along with what was learned through what may have been taught, witnessed, or even experienced.
When strategy is enacted by a group, it is indeed imperative that some form of competent leadership is what makes or has made the accomplished mission possible. To be without a sound and orderly chain of command makes for a chaotic and vulnerable mass that may be defeating itself quicker than any adversary can imagine.
General Sun Tzu of ancient China continuously sheds light on the unchanging strategic patterns of mankind, whether it is the way of the individual or the behavioral patterns of many. By reading and absorbing his philosophy on life in general brings one to the conclusion that not only are our lives a never-ending battle, but the only thing that has changed from his time until now is technological development.
This modern American textbook translation of General Sun Tzu's ancient teachings is beneficial for every occupation from military to every business that the free market welcomes, as well as keep one guided through legal, political, and private conflicts of interests. Enjoy!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: May 23, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499020700

Book preview

ART OF WAR

General Sun-Tzu of Ancient China Fifth Century B.C.

Heath Breaux

The Modern American Translation

Copyright © 2014 by Heath Breaux.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted

in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system,

without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the

product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance

to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 05/14/2014

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CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 Was, Is, and Will Be

Chapter 2 The Facts of the Fight

Chapter 3 Mastery of Mind-Chess

Chapter 4 Invincibility and Fortitude

Chapter 5 Psych and Physics

Chapter 6 Barrenness and Abundance

Chapter 7 Resistance and Reaction

Chapter 8 Conformance and Common Sense

Chapter 9 Tactics and Teachings

Chapter 10 Earth’s Crust for Conquest or Counteraction

Chapter 11 Grounds of Aggression and Counteraggression

Chapter 12 Flames and Chaos

Chapter 13 Covert Affairs and Operatives

Chapter 14 Discussion Stories

Aim For The Heart

Adapt, Survive, Succeed

Prepare, Predict, Prevail

Camouflage

Ambush

Turning The Tides

Dedicated to those who have and continue to take up arms against all enemies of the United States Constitution, both foreign and domestic, with the same spirit and bravery of our founding forefathers.

INTRODUCTION

Immortalized by the centuries-old text, Art of War, General Sun-Tzu’s legendary mastery of strategy maintains its recognition for business, political, and military affairs alike.

His prize philosophy was based on the idea that the most adequate strategy for any wartime objective is to render an actual confrontation limited, if not unnecessary.

The piecing together of such philosophy is directly tied into the mastery of deception. In other words, the term camouflage is not so much limited to one becoming one with the physical surroundings, but more to the idea of adapting to the ways and habits of an adversary for the sake of victory with minimal effort.

Adaptation to whatever is deemed oppositional to one’s interests is all about mastering the psychology of oneself, while being knowledgeable of the enemy’s formidabilities and vulnerabilities alike.

Because once one has graduated the discipline on both fronts, greater than half of the battle is fought in terms of steering an adversary into a state of confusion. Simply stated, a confused enemy is less than likely to be of any threat to certain victory.

Also, when one is aware of his prized traits, as well as his woes, the mastery of the practice is when one is capable of manipulating the opposing front into being sold on weakness where strength is absolute, while generating confidence in the avenues of the adversary where it is sure to be weak.

In other words, one’s true weakness can remain undisclosed, while the strengths remain safeguarded beneath a facade of weakness. Next, feelings of confidence begin to deceive the adversarial psyche in the areas where it is most certainly vulnerable.

Coming to master such an art has been proven to have the highest probability of triumph even before the first fist is given the chance to curl.

What you’re about to read is just one of many translations of General Sun-Tzu’s immortal text.

For many centuries past, and many more to come, such teachings will continue to be utilized and remain successful. As aforementioned, the probable rate of success is not only limited to military activity, but for the purpose of survival in the ever-so unforgiving conditions of Western civilization’s predominate lifeblood of free-market capitalism.

To say the least, upon absorption and practice of General Sun-Tzu’s text, one is granted an undullable edge in the redundant principles of competition in general.

Of course, there are many opinions and variations of General Sun Tzu’s ancient writings. This particular version reflects the perception of this book’s author.

Cunning is the wisdom of where one other can be wise

As much as where one other can be one’s fool

CHAPTER 1

Was, Is, and Will Be

A dependable military is an essential asset for the survival of any form of society. When human nature possesses both aggressive and counteraggressive instincts, it can be the deciding factor in terms of its longevity, as well as its expansion.

An aggressive asset within any form of society, as much as an aggressive tendency within an individual is, for the most part, essential in a world as cruel and unfair as Planet Earth. In other words, world peace and corporate harmony are wishful thinking, as it is a flight of the imagination to believe that a noncompetitive or passive stance is universal in the face of all forms of opportunity or aggression.

When one lacks the necessary strengths to execute acts that are vital for his betterment or security, his survival depends on the motivation of those who possess the drive to maintain and expand for the interests of the whole. Reality states that it takes the will of the fierce and the aggressive to prevent the extinction of the passive.

The way of leadership and discipline are of utmost importance in reference to a formidable force. If not for the leader with the unified confidence and respect of the soldiers, conflict within the ranks will most certainly render it defeated by any force with more inferior resources that had not yet posed any threat. When weather and terrain are natural challenges, adverse earthly conditions are better dealt with under high morale as well.

Chaos is always fatal to the success of a group, as much as a chaotic mind is almost always the failure of the individual. The mechanics of success must be for the two-way relationship of faith between leadership and subordination, just as it is necessary for one to be sure of himself when acting upon his own knowledge.

Thus, when challenges come with the territory of any goal or objective, the confidence of achievement and the acceptance of the obstacles are always necessary in weighing out the options of overcoming such challenges.

The way is all about leadership and subordination united in spirit. Unified concentration toward a given goal of expansion or self-preservation can only intensify the overall might of the whole.

The faith of the leaders and the loyalty of the followers are more potent under an unbreakable alliance. When such a coalition is complemented by a team effort, a shared feeling within the ranks becomes the backbone of its strength.

Weather can be of both aid and resistance. Unfavorable conditions can make for another war to be fought before the first battle can be won.

The weather can be of both positive and negative forces within the individual psyche, or whenever it comes to the sake of the mission at hand. Mental chemistry has the tendency to lean to a more depressed state under overcast skies, just as the individual outlook can be stimulated by clear skies and sunlight. But when it