THE
ART
OF
WAR
CHAPTER I
CALCULATIONS
Sun-tzu said:
Warfare is a great matter to a nation; it is
the ground of death and of life; it is the
way of survival and of destruction, and
must be examined. Therefore, go through
it by means of five factors; compare them
by means of calculation, and determine
their statuses: One, Way, two, Heaven,
three, Ground, four, General, five, Law.
The Way is what causes the people to have
the same thinking as their superiors; they
may be given death, or they may be given
life, but there is no fear of danger and
betrayal. Heaven is dark and light, cold
and hot, and the seasonal constraints.
Ground is high and low, far and near,
obstructed and easy, wide and narrow,
and dangerous and safe. General is
wisdom, credibility, benevolence, courage,
and discipline. Law is organization, the
chain of command, logistics, and the
control of expenses. All these five no
general has not heard; one who knows
them is victorious, one who does not know
them is not victorious.
Therefore, compare them by means of
calculation, and determine their statuses.
Ask: Which ruler has the Way, which
general has the ability, which has gained
Heaven and Ground, which carried out
Law and commands, which army is strong,
which officers and soldiers are trained,
which reward and punish clearly, by
means of these, I know victory and defeat!
