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1. Sun Tzu said: We come now to the question of encamping the army,
and observing signs of the enemy. Pass quickly over mountains, and
keep in the neighborhood of valleys.
2. Camp in high places, facing the sun. Do not climb heights in order
to fight. So much for mountain warfare.
3. After crossing a river, you should get far away from it.
4. When an invading force crosses a river in its onward march, do
not advance to meet it in mid-stream. It will be best to let half
the army get across, and then deliver your attack.
5. If you are anxious to fight, you should not go to meet the invader
near a river which he has to cross.
6. Moor your craft higher up than the enemy, and facing the sun. Do
not move up-stream to meet the enemy. So much for river warfare.
7. In crossing salt-marshes, your sole concern should be to get over
them quickly, without any delay.
8. If forced to fight in a salt-marsh, you should have water and grass
near you, and get your back to a clump of trees. So much for operations
in salt-marches.
9. In dry, level country, take up an easily accessible position with
rising ground to your right and on your rear, so that the danger may
be in front, and safety lie behind. So much for campaigning in flat
country.
10. These are the four useful branches of military knowledge which
enabled the Yellow Emperor to vanquish four several sovereigns.
11. All armies prefer high ground to low and sunny places to dark.
12. If you are careful of your men, and camp on hard ground, the army
will be free from disease of every kind, and this will spell victory.
13. When you come to a hill or a bank, occupy the sunny side, with
the slope on your right rear. Thus you will at once act for the benefit
of your soldiers and utilize the natural advantages of the ground.
14. When, in consequence of heavy rains up-country, a river which
you wish to ford is swollen and flecked with foam, you must wait until
it subsides.
15. Country in which there are precipitous cliffs with torrents running
between, deep natural hollows, confined places, tangled thickets,
quagmires and crevasses, should be left with all possible speed and
not approached.
16. While we keep away from such places, we should get the enemy to
approach them; while we face them, we should let the enemy have them
on his rear.
17. If in the neighborhood of your camp there should be any hilly
country, ponds surrounded by aquatic grass, hollow basins filled with
reeds, or woods with thick undergrowth, they must be carefully routed
out and searched; for these are places where men in ambush or insidious
spies are likely to be lurking.
18. When the enemy is close at hand and remains quiet, he is relying
on the natural strength of his position.
19. When he keeps aloof and tries to provoke a battle, he is anxious
for the other side to advance.
20. If his place of encampment is easy of access, he is tendering
a bait.
21. Movement amongst the trees of a forest shows that the enemy is
advancing. The appearance of a number of screens in the midst of thick
grass means that the enemy wants to make us suspicious.
22. The rising of birds in their flight is the sign of an ambuscade.
Startled beasts indicate that a sudden attack is coming.
23. When there is dust rising in a high column, it is the sign of
chariots advancing; when the dust is low, but spread over a wide area,
it betokens the approach of infantry. When it branches out in different
directions, it shows that parties have been sent to collect firewood.
A few clouds of dust moving to and fro signify that the army is encamping.
24. Humble words and increased preparations are signs that the enemy
is about to advance. Violent language and driving forward as if to
the attack are signs that he will retreat.
25. When the light chariots come out first and take up a position
on the wings, it is a sign that the enemy is forming for battle.
26. Peace proposals unaccompanied by a sworn covenant indicate a plot.
27. When there is much running about and the soldiers fall into rank,
it means that the critical moment has come.
28. When some are seen advancing and some retreating, it is a lure.
29. When the soldiers stand leaning on their spears, they are faint
from want of food.
30. If those who are sent to draw water begin by drinking themselves,
the army is suffering from thirst.
31. If the enemy sees an advantage to be gained and makes no effort
to secure it, the soldiers are exhausted.
32. If birds gather on any spot, it is unoccupied. Clamor by night
betokens nervousness.
33. If there is disturbance in the camp, the general's authority is
weak. If the banners and flags are shifted about, sedition is afoot.
If the officers are angry, it means that the men are weary.
34. When an army feeds its horses with grain and kills its cattle
for food, and when the men do not hang their cooking-pots over the
camp-fires, showing that they will not return to their tents, you
may know that they are determined to fight to the death.
35. The sight of men whispering together in small knots or speaking
in subdued tones points to disaffection amongst the rank and file.
36. Too frequent rewards signify that the enemy is at the end of his
resources; too many punishments betray a condition of dire distress.
37. To begin by bluster, but afterwards to take fright at the enemy's
numbers, shows a supreme lack of intelligence.
38. When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a
sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
39. If the enemy's troops march up angrily and remain facing ours
for a long time without either joining battle or taking themselves
off again, the situation is one that demands great vigilance and circumspection.
40. If our troops are no more in number than the enemy, that is amply
sufficient; it only means that no direct attack can be made. What
we can do is simply to concentrate all our available strength, keep
a close watch on the enemy, and obtain reinforcements.
41. He who exercises no forethought but makes light of his opponents
is sure to be captured by them.
42. If soldiers are punished before they have grown attached to you,
they will not prove submissive; and, unless submissive, then will
be practically useless. If, when the soldiers have become attached
to you, punishments are not enforced, they will still be unless.
43. Therefore soldiers must be treated in the first instance with
humanity, but kept under control by means of iron discipline. This
is a certain road to victory.
44. If in training soldiers commands are habitually enforced, the
army will be well-disciplined; if not, its discipline will be bad.
45. If a general shows confidence in his men but always insists on
his orders being obeyed, the gain will be mutual.