The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.
In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.
The greatest victory is that which requires no battle.
The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy.
Opportunities multiply as they are seized.
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.
Know yourself and you will win all battles.
The art of war is of vital importance to the State.
To know your Enemy, you must become your Enemy.
The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.
If you wait by the river long enough, the bodies of your enemies will float by.
To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists in breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.
If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.
In conflict, straightforward actions generally lead to engagement, surprising actions generally lead to victory.
All warfare is based on deception.
If your enemy is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him. If your opponent is temperamental, seek to irritate.
Build your opponent a golden bridge to retreat across.
He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight.
Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.
The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands.
A wise ruler does not consolidate his power by force.
The greatest general is not the one who wins every battle, but the one who defeats the enemy’s strategy.
The best way to win a war is to prevent it.
There is no instance of a nation benefiting from prolonged warfare.
To win one hundred victories in one hundred battles is not the acme of skill. To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme of skill.
Treat your men as you would your own beloved sons. And they will follow you into the deepest valley.
Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy’s resistance without fighting.
Build your opponent a reputation to live up to.
The opportunity to secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands.
The best victory is when the opponent surrenders of its own accord before there are any actual hostilities.
Convince your enemy that he will gain very little by attacking you.
If you know your enemies and know yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles.
A good general is not impulsive or hasty; they are calm, composed, and calculating.
We cannot enter into alliances until we are acquainted with the designs of our neighbors.
Do not show your hand too soon; let your enemy underestimate you.
Feign weakness so your enemy will grow arrogant and make mistakes.
To secure ourselves against defeat lies in our own hands, but the opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.
In preparing for battle, I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.
Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack.
When you surround an army, leave an outlet free. Do not press a desperate foe too hard.
Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain.
In peace prepare for war, in war prepare for peace.
The greatest victory is that which requires no battle, as it denotes superior strategy and leadership.
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